Bookstores

(Today, April 26 is the Independent Bookstores Day)

I get a frisson of excitement every time I walk through the doors

Of a treasure house of unique books, an independent bookstore

Those who sell books in their stores in this day and age have to be

Guided by strong conviction and a sense of duty

To guard the written word and ensure wide-ranging books accessible remain

To avid readers who return to these bookstores again and again..

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I can order online with a single click and receive

A book on my device within minutes, but I believe

That browsing books in print in a bookstore

Draws me into reading much more

Who knows what gem of a book my fancy would find

Who knows which obscure author would captivate my mind?

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We must as a society let independent bookstores thrive

Let readers lose themselves in books, let the magic of reading come alive

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