Monday, 24 July 2017

I opened a book ...


and in I strode.
Now nobody can find me.


I’ve left my chair, my house, my road,
My town and my world behind me.


I’m wearing the cloak, I’ve slipped on the ring,
I’ve swallowed the magic potion.


I’ve fought with a dragon, dined with a king
And dived in a bottomless ocean.




I opened a book and made some friends.
I shared their tears and laughter


 And followed their road with its bumps and bends
To the happily ever after.


 I finished my book and out I came.
The cloak can no longer hide me.


My chair and my house are just the same,
But I have a book inside me.
Poem:  Julia Donaldson, from Crazy Mayonnaisy Mum, first published 2004 by Macmillan Children’s Books, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers International Limited.  With thanks to Willie for sharing the poem and to Pexels for the images.  (All images licensed under the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license).


at 07:29

58 comments:

  1. Jody24 July 2017 at 07:40

    I can't wait to share this poem with my children! Thank you!

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    1. Barbara24 July 2017 at 08:50

      I couldn’t wait to share it either Jody. I hope your children enjoy it. Barbara

      Delete
  2. Valerie-Jael24 July 2017 at 08:01

    Wonderful words and pictures. My books have always been my magic place and friends, I can't imagine a life without them. Have a great week, hugs, Valerie

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    1. Barbara24 July 2017 at 09:01

      Me too Valerie, I love to disappear into a book and I do it often! Have a lovely week. xx

      Delete
  3. KC'sCourt!24 July 2017 at 08:09

    That's a great poem, never seen/read it before. My daughter=in-law said my granddaughter has asked for books for her birthday....... to my ears it was lovely to hear, and funnily enough back in May I went to a bootfair and found a set of unread Enid Blyton 75th editions of the Famous Five which I shall be giving to my granddaughter for her birthday

    Julie xxxxx

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    1. Barbara24 July 2017 at 09:10

      Hello Julie,
      I hadn’t read it before either, but it’s my new favourite poem. Your Enid Blyton books sound lovely and such a nice present for your granddaughter. I’m looking for some granddaughter type books ready for our trip to Australia next year. It is such a treat to spend time with them and catch up with all they’ve been doing in the intervening years.
      Have a lovely week, Barbara xx

      Delete
  4. Elephant's Child24 July 2017 at 08:35

    Brilliant.
    And so very, very true.

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    1. Barbara24 July 2017 at 09:12

      It absolutely is!
      Thanks for coming over x

      Delete
  5. Linda24 July 2017 at 09:12

    What an amazing and enchanting post, Barbara! I love all the images, too!

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    1. Barbara24 July 2017 at 09:18

      Thank you Linda, I can’t claim any credit for them, but I did enjoy sharing them.

      Delete
  6. WILLIE...! =(^..^)=24 July 2017 at 09:38

    Yes! Lovely poem..who is this Willie...?
    But the photos are amazing to..love the
    one of the little boy laughing..! :).
    But, the best one is the Iguana..I have a
    fetish for reptiles, snakes etc..fascinating
    creatures..
    Oh! And! Before you ask Barbara...I have eaten
    Iguana..Surprising what you find up some of the
    back allies, l've been up...But, just in case
    anyone is interested, here's a quick recipe.....
    Declaw, skin and gut...
    Salt and pepper to taste...
    Grill or broil till cooked through...
    Cover with lime juice and cilantro...
    The meat will taste a little like, yes, chicken...
    Makes a nice meat filling for tacos...! Enjoy! :0).

    Something interesting.....
    For the first time, bookish neurologists have looked into what causes people to get lost in a book, and they've used Harry Potter books as research. A team of researchers and scientists lead by psychologist Chun-Ting Hsu at Free University of Berlin in Germany studied brain reactions to particular passages in the Harry Potter books to see if certain types of excerpts facilitated the immersive experience.

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    1. Barbara24 July 2017 at 09:58

      That be you Willie! I’ve had the poem in my ‘must use on blog’ folder for ages, just been waiting for a chance to share it.
      The bit about Harry Potter really is interesting. I'm not so keen on the recipe I only read as far as declaw – that was enough for me!
      Thanks for the poem and for your comment Willie. I’m off for a walk now, and I expect you will soon be on to your next cup of lemon tea – enjoy. :)

      Delete
  7. Anonymous24 July 2017 at 11:53

    What a fun poem! You chose perfect pictures to illustrate the words. This post makes me want to get lost in a book; seems I'm often multitasking when I read nowadays. Thanks for sharing Julia's poem and in such a beautiful way!

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    1. Barbara24 July 2017 at 12:33

      And thank you for coming over and saying such nice things! I can and do lose myself in books, sometimes for hours at a time, which is one of the great joys of being retired.

      Delete
  8. Castles Crowns and Cottages24 July 2017 at 12:45

    Now THAT, was a wonderful poem that took me from where I've been lately, lost in another land, in fact TWO lands. I'm juggling two books right now, one in French, the other, an American classic.

    Oh Barbara, your selections today have brought me great joy and inspiration for photos. LOVE!!!!

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    1. Barbara24 July 2017 at 12:52


      Dear Anita, I’m quite sure you are never lacking in inspiration, but I thank you for your sweet comment. Enjoy your books and the week ahead.

      Delete
  9. Annalisa Crawford24 July 2017 at 13:04

    Ah, yes, this describes the act of reading so perfectly!

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  10. Randomly Reading24 July 2017 at 13:09

    Thanks for sharing this poem, it is just wonderful, just the thing I needed on a day the building inspectors are coming to make sure my apartment is now habitable because of fire damage.

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    1. Barbara24 July 2017 at 14:56

      Oh gosh Alex I’m so sorry to hear that. I do hope everything is OK.

      Delete
  11. Debbie Nolan24 July 2017 at 13:52

    Dear Barbara - this is such a lovely post and wonderful poem. You could not have done a finer job putting the pics with these beautiful words.

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    1. Barbara24 July 2017 at 15:04

      Thank you so much Debbie, I really enjoyed putting this one together.

      Delete
  12. cleemckenzie24 July 2017 at 17:55

    So touching and so true! I loved reading this and I can't wait to jump back into the book I'm reading.

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    1. Barbara24 July 2017 at 22:39

      Thank you for breaking away from your book to visit my blog, I appreciate it.

      Delete
  13. Sandra Cox24 July 2017 at 18:31

    I loved this, Barbara! And the pictures helped make the story...or poem in this instance:)
    Thank you so much for sharing with us.

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    1. Barbara24 July 2017 at 22:41

      It was my pleasure Sandra I enjoyed putting this one together.

      Delete
  14. Jeanie24 July 2017 at 20:23

    What fabulous photos! Perfect illustrations to this delightful poem! And it looks like it was fun to do!

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    1. Barbara24 July 2017 at 22:42

      It was a lot of fun Jeanie, thanks for leaving a comment.

      Delete
  15. Stephanie@Fairday's Blog25 July 2017 at 17:02

    The poem is excellent! She really does a wonderful job describing the reading experience. The photos are a perfect match. Thanks for sharing. :)

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    1. Barbara25 July 2017 at 21:20

      She really does Stephanie. I feel exactly like that every time I pick up a book.

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  16. Anca25 July 2017 at 17:31

    The poem is lovely and the pictures compliment it nicely. x

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    1. Barbara25 July 2017 at 21:18

      Thank you Anca, I'm so pleased you like it. Barbara

      Delete
  17. colleen25 July 2017 at 20:39

    This post has captured the essence of childhood for so many of us "bookworms"! Lovely photos chosen to accompany the poem. Thank you, Barbara!Your blogs are always a pleasure!

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    1. Barbara25 July 2017 at 21:20

      That is such a lovely thing to say, thank you Colleen.

      Delete
  18. Sue (this n that)25 July 2017 at 22:40

    How lovely Barbara - thanks for the poem and photos :D)

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  19. The Reader's Tales26 July 2017 at 13:02

    Ohh what a beautiful poem, Barbara! Have a great day, Barbara :)

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  20. Sandra Cox27 July 2017 at 20:21

    There's no better escapism that reading. It can take us anywhere.

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    1. Barbara28 July 2017 at 07:33

      It certainly can Sandra and in my case it often does.

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  21. Shashi Nayagam27 July 2017 at 22:14

    Dear Barbara what a lovely post and I loved the poem. Yes books are a bit like following the rabbit into the rabbit hole isn't it? You become a part of it too.

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    1. Barbara28 July 2017 at 09:16

      Absolutely, Shashi! I sometimes wish I could stay in that world all the time but then chores and responsibilities come calling.

      Delete
  22. Yanting Gueh28 July 2017 at 09:01

    Hello Barbara, what a lovely poem. The cloaks we don when we step into stories ... Thank you for sharing it. The most recent book I feel myself disappearing into is "The Thirteenth Tale" by Diane Setterfield. Wonder if you've come by it? It's got a Gothic mood to it even though it's set in modern times. Mysterious, a little sad, introspective. I loved it.

    Hope you're having great days of "disappearing into stories." I'm back from visiting my sister and her baby. They're very well! xoxo C.

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    1. Barbara28 July 2017 at 09:56

      Hello Claudine, I’ve not read The Thirteenth Tale but having just visited Goodreads to find out more I’m sure I’ve seen a film or TV adaptation of it. The story is very familiar to me, but that doesn’t stop me wanting to read the book, and I’ve added it to my ‘must’ list. Thanks for the tip.

      I’m so pleased your sister, and new baby are doing well. I often think about you and them so it’s lovely to get an update. I hope you are keeping really busy and enjoying doing the things you love.

      Delete
  23. Nikki - Notes of Life28 July 2017 at 19:47

    What a wonderful poem :)

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  24. Three Hoodies Save the World29 July 2017 at 13:11

    That was lovely. I just wish Blogger hadn't changed so that your, and all the other posts I follow are so hard to find now.

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    1. Barbara29 July 2017 at 13:33

      Hi Roger, I didn’t realise Blogger had made any changes, but I’m sorry they are making it difficult for you. I would like to move over to WordPress but I just don’t have the stamina to start over again.
      By the way, if you do want to keep up with my posts, you could follow with BLOGLOVIN – see link on the right-hand side of blog. They will send an email when I add anything new. Mind you if you are anything like me, you are probably already wallowing in emails.

      Delete
  25. Darlene29 July 2017 at 16:16

    This is a wonderful poem and the pictures accompanying it are perfect. Thanks for sharing it.

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    1. Barbara30 July 2017 at 07:08

      It is my pleasure Darlene, thanks for taking a look.

      Delete
  26. klahanie30 July 2017 at 01:38

    Hi Barbara,

    A poem that transports the mind to that magical place when we read a book. The accompanying pictures capture such ambience.

    Thank you, Barbara.

    Gary

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    1. Barbara30 July 2017 at 07:10

      Thanks Gary, I appreciate you taking the time to read it and to leave a comment.
      Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
      Barbara

      Delete
  27. Magic Love Crow30 July 2017 at 03:12

    I love this!!! Big Hugs!

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  28. Nas31 July 2017 at 06:55

    Such wonderful poem and evocative pictures to go with it. Thank you Barbara!

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    1. Barbara2 August 2017 at 18:25

      My pleasure Nas, I’m pleased you enjoyed it.

      Delete
  29. Lowcarb team member6 August 2017 at 23:44

    I've not come across this poem before ... what wonderful words and pictures.
    Books have always been part of my life and I just can't imagine a day without one in my hand.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Barbara7 August 2017 at 13:13

      I’m with you on that Jan. I need my escapism and books certainly provide it.

      Delete

I really appreciate your comment. Thank you!
Barbara xx

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