Little Frigates
Saturday, September 17, 2005
At our public library, above the entrance to the Quiet Zone (the young adult and adult fiction, the nonfiction, the poetry) is written this little poem, by Emily Dickinson:
There is no frigate like a book
To take us lands away,
Nor any coursers like a page
Of prancing poetry.
This traverse may the poorest take
Without oppress of toll;
How frugal is the chariot
That bears a human soul!
(That slant rhyme---away/poetry---gets me every time!) When my horde and I headed into the Quiet Zone, they---or, more rightly, the stroller---were already carrying gajillions of books. I herded them over to a quiet little corner, with a window and three green leather chairs, so they could start reading while I browsed for a few books for me. I emerged from the stacks fifteen minutes later clutching a novel by Iris Murdoch, one by Madeleine L'Engle, and two collections of essays. I was most thrilled about the essays (told you I'm geeky!), one an assembly of writings about writing from the New York Times, the other from poet Wendell Berry.
It was only as we walked under Emily's quote and up to the circulation desk that I realized how silly we must have looked. I was carrying Kaleb as the stroller had filled up with books. Nathan was skipping along with his special I'm-really-happy-about-this skip. Haley was reading---a retelling of Fin Mac Cool with luscious illustrations---while successfully navigating around the potted marigolds. Jake was looking at a book about spiders (his current obsession) to find the picture of what a black-widow's bite looks like, so he could show me (because I need another thing to have nightmares about). We ended up checking out 54 books.
And if that doesn't tell you I'm raising a crew of book lovers---all steering their own delightful little frigates---then this will. As we drove home, Kaleb spoke up in his sweet little voice, sounding his "I'm starting to get hungry" noise, which sounds like "hi!" and Haley said, "Mom! WHAT will we do if Kaleb doesn't love books like the rest of us?" The horror in her voice was akin to someone talking about, say, concentration camps or the nuclear bomb. I think that with the four of us reading to him, he'll hardly stand a chance of feeling neutral about books; he'll either adore them or detest them. As with all my kids, I'm leaning towards the love feeling.
And with that I'm going back to my already-half-devoured book.
Amy, this picture will be savored in my mind endelibly! I'm grinning from ear to ear because I can so visualize it all! I love that your kids are picking up one of their mother's greatest loves AND HABITS! I'm betting Kaleb will be reading by the time he's three! And for the record, I had to look up the word Frigate. Never heard it before. But, poem does say it all! thanks for my little vocabulary lesson today!
Sophia
Posted by: Sophia | Saturday, September 17, 2005 at 07:30 AM
Haley will be the little mother and just in case you don't have time to make sure Kaleb falls in love with books, it sounds like she will cover all the bases. Good for her! 54 books - HOLY COW!
Posted by: Kelly Edgerton | Sunday, September 18, 2005 at 12:28 AM
It reminds me of a family of girls and a dad, who would set off for the library in an old brown car with a backseat full of books. Hours later, that car would return home exactly the same, but for a different set of books filling the backseat.
I still have to watch myself to not check out to many books, since you can't REALLY read 7 novels in the allotted 3 week check out period.
Thanks for the memories, sis!
Posted by: Becky | Monday, September 19, 2005 at 09:17 AM
the kids practically beg me to go to the library all the time - it is their very favorite place to go in the whole world - 54 - that is quite a bit of books to keep track of. i think you are setting a great example with your love of reading - you can't but help have a bunch of readers in your children!
Posted by: chris | Tuesday, September 20, 2005 at 12:37 AM