While my son, Clay, lived in Columbus, Ohio, he took me to a rare but wonderful used bookstore there. An old 3-story home with a basement was crammed with thousands of books on each floor. Sadly, I could only buy what I could carry up and down those crowded, narrow stairways. Also, other places Clay lived include Nashville and Franklin, Tennessee, that have great bookstores, as well as Denver, Colorado Springs, and Castle Rock, Colorado. Also, Dallas, Ft. Worth, and Plano, Texas were among favorite places, too. His jobs in retail, sales, and marketing give him opportunities to live anywhere since he has to travel nationwide in his work. I’ve gleaned from those visits, collecting great memories...including books of varied interests.

Recently, while perusing my library selections, I pulled out one of those treasures, an old darkred hardbound entitled POEMS WITH POWER TO STRENGTHEN THE SOUL, copyrighted in 1907 and 1909, a compilation of works collected by James Mudge. Inside one page was an explanation of it being a Wartime Book. There were paper and ink shortages at that time. Paper was thinner than normal and narrower margins allowed more printing room, which reduced the number of pages. It doesn’t state which war, nor gives a publication date, but I’m guessing World War I, which started in the early 1900s. And, the nature of the poems is encouraging in giving hope.

A particular short poem by George L. Banks caught my eye. In researching this journalist, I learn this was his most famed poem. I think it is as relevant today as was then. Read it several times to get the rhythm. It’s worth it. See if it’s YOUR voice, too. Commas and capitalization let you know when each line begins. It could become a favorite of I’d like to share it:

“Why Do I Live?”

I live for those who love me; For those I know are true; For the heavens that smiles above me, And awaits my spirit too; For all human ties that bind me, For the task my God assigned me, For the bright hope left behind me, And the good that I can do.

I live to learn their story, Who suffered for my sake, To emulate their glory, And follow in their wake; Bards, martyrs, patriots, sages; The nobles of all ages, Whose deeds crown History’s pages, And time’s great volume make.

I live to hail the season— By gifted minds foretold— When man shall live by reason, And not alone for gold; When man to man united, And every wrong things righted, The whole world shall be lighted, As Eden was of old.

I live to hold communion, With all that is divine, To feel that there is union, `Twixt nature’s heart and mine; To profit by affliction, Reap truth from fields of fiction, Grow wiser from conviction, Fulfilling God’s design.

I live for those who love me, For those who love me true, For the heaven that smiles above me, And awaits my spirit too; For the wrongs that need resistance, For the cause that needs assistance, For the future in the distance, And the that I can do.

As a journalist, Banks could cover soldiers’ stories and be their voices. Nowadays as our country’s soldiers are stationed in many dangerous places, trying to stop oppression by evil warmongers, our “voices for them” can be lifted to heaven in

War is war, no matter the century. War is people killing people because of selfish gain, or they can’t (or won’t) find a way to come to terms of agreement over different issues.

I learned that between the covers of books much adventure and knowledge are hidden, ready for us to discover the treasures. It takes many authors years of honing ideas, spending time in researching, and working endlessly in getting it all together before seeing their published works. After all that, they are like gifts for us to gain knowledge from or for us to just enjoy. Think of our libraries holding all those treasures for us to “widen our horizons.” All we have to do is just go in and check them out for free!