Books Save Lives

A poem by Cheryl Rainfield.

Books helped me crawl out of despair
their pages wrapping around my heart,
telling me that I could survive this,
I could keep going,
and things would get better.
They told me I wasn’t alone.
Books save lives.

Banning books takes away the lifeline
from those of us who need them,
those words and pages woven together
with compassion and strength,
helping us hope when we can’t see
the hope for ourselves.
Books save lives.

Copyright Cheryl Rainfield, April 7, 2022

SCARS was recently banned in TX. My heart hurts for those teens who need it (and any others that have been banned) and now can’t find it, and can’t afford to buy it. I know how important books are; books were a huge part of my survival as a child abuse and torture survivor, and they help me still. So I wrote this poem.

@cherylrainfield Books Save Lives, a poem by Cheryl Rainfield Books helped me crawl out of despairtheir pages wrapping around my heart, telling me that I could survive this, I could keep going, and things would get better. They told me I wasn’t alone. Books save lives. Banning books takes away the lifelinefrom those of us who need them, those words and pages woven together with compassion and strength, helping us hope when we can’t seethe hope for ourselves. Books save lives. #booktok #yabooktok ♬ original sound – Cheryl Rainfield she/them