To Read Long Books…

I’d love to think that age has had no effect on my mind

But every day, unmistakable signs of aging I find…

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One of the most distressing signs of aging for me

Is my dwindling patience and increasing inability

To read long books-despite being a reader prolific

To shorter, up to 300 pages long books I now try to stick

In the past I used to dive without hesitation

Into thousand-page long books, but now I am filled with trepidation

Each time I encounter a thick, wordy book

For larger print and thinner spines I now look

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Wistfully I remember the days when “War and Peace” seemed

Appropriately long for a transcontinental trip, I would have deemed

Anything shorter inadequate for a journey that was long

I was a fast reader, my ability to pay attention was strong

These days I feel accomplished if I can focus my attention

On a book beyond half an hour, despite my best intentions

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One of the most anticipated books of this year

I have selected from the library, but I fear

At 400 pages in fine print, it would be

Challenging to read cover to cover for me..

But having penned this verse, the least I can do

Is read a book similar in length to those I used to