The Beatitudes of Literature
If Jesus gave his sermon
Upon that mount today
He’d preach a love of literature
And this is what he’d say.
Blessed are the authors
Who inspire, surprise, delight.
Blessed are the bookworms
Who read into the night.
Blessed are the bloggers
Who spread the news to all
And tell us what is good or bad
Which books may rise or fall.
Blessed are the bookshops
That stock their shelves with art
Blessed are the ardent fans
So loyal in their hearts.
Blessed are the scholars
For writing skills, they teach
That helped to bring us all the greats
Like Shakespeare, Dickens, Keats.
Blessed are the libraries
Each filled with books galore
From volumes full of knowledge
To fiction, fact and more.
And blessed be the audiotape
From text to spoken word
The blind, and those not keen to read
Can hear a whole new world.
Now please, don’t think me blasphemous
Or view me down your nose
I write without impiety
And humble in my prose.
But … here’s the thing!
I’m privileged to be on this earth
Amongst great raconteurs
Who share their gift with all of us
In chapter, song and verse.
So let us praise the writers
Who fill our hearts and souls
With words of glee or tales of woe
Our Father … bless them all.
Amen.
P. A. Davies 2018
