Ode to Jo*

Dear Jo-

I know you were a lot of things—

Devoted mother,

Crossword-puzzler,

Antique-hunter,

Civil Rights fighter,

PBS watcher,

Dr. Seuss lover,

Proudest grand-mother.

I don’t want to minimize any of that;

But to me, you were just a fellow reader.

A bibliophile. 

A compatriot,

From the country where,

Holy Days are celebrated by a feast

on Literature, of Literature.

Histories and mysteries,

War stories and spy novels,

Memoirs and novellas,

Essays, short stories

Historical fiction. 

For you, reading was a joyous affliction. 

The last time we met, you inquired

In the 72 books you read each year

For at least as many years . . .

What had you overlooked?

What other experiences should you read?

What other authors? What other books?

Were waiting for you

To become part of your library.

To become a part of you.

As though our recommendations were over due

You scribbled away, furiously

Insisting that you wanted to

Read Everything.

Experience Everything.

You added to your list to read,

Your list of books to check out,

Your list of books to wait for,

Notations about what to borrow.

A separate list for what to lend.

For me, your Life’s Lesson was this, then:

Search and read and then

Learn and read more and then

Experience some and read some more

And share a little (or a lot).

Then read a little more. 

But probably a lot more.

And read, and read,

And read.

Until the very end.

With heavy hearts, no new book club could mend,

I’m not sure what you’d say to us,

But I do know what you’d recommend:

Reading. 

Voracious Reading.

Staying-up-all-night, getting chills-down-your-spine, laughing and crying reading.

We will read on

Willing the books will see us through this loss,

But we will think of you each time we find something good,

And we will miss you all over again.

Jo, thank you for being my good book friend.

My life is better because I knew you.

My library richer,

My lists of books to read longer,

My love for reading stronger.

Sincerely,
SEE

*Disclaimer:  I am not a poet.  At all.  But given her love of all things literary, I thought Jo deserved an elegy.