Part 2: Personal Collection of Poems: Books Fall Open

4) “Books Fall Open” –David McCord

Books fall open,
you fall in,
delighted where
you've never been;
hear voices not once
heard before,
reach world on world
through door on door;
find unexpected
keys to things
locked up beyond
imaginings.
What might you be,
perhaps become,
because one book is
somewhere? Some
wise delver into wisdom, wit,
and wherewithal
has written it.
True books will venture,
dare you out,
whisper secrets,
maybe shout
across the gloom
to you in need,
who hanker for
a book to read.


I like this poem because it’s very accurate about what books are able to do. They are able to take readers to new worlds they have never, or will never, see in person and reading also lets readers experience adventure and mystery from the safety of our room. I also like how this poem speaks to the imagination—something required when reading books, especially fiction. This poem is also one I particularly like because I can see how everything McCord says about books is true. When you find a good book, you really do “fall in” and the adventure in one book leaves you “hanker[ing]” for another book to read.



McCord, David. “Books Fall Open.” “Children’s and Young Adult Literature Conference: Fall Into Books.” BYU Idaho. 28 November 2009. http://www.byui.edu/childrenslitconf/