It keeps your mind busy
says a youngster out there
in that place called school
where learning happens
sometimes despite school

It keeps your mind busy
(even by candle-light)
reading and more reading

It keeps your mind busy
off the hunger and poverty
at your own front door

It keeps your mind busy
away from the stuff
that makes criminals of us

It keeps your mind busy
unlike any substances
we might want to abuse

It keeps your mind busy
and not on any persons
we might want to abuse

It keeps your mind busy
reading and more reading

Is yours busy?

Smiling broadly at primary school youngsters on a SABC2 Morning Live feature on efforts to get us reading; on this occasion in the form of a huge donation of books facilitated by Rotary International (if I remember correctly), one fine morning, April’s end, some days after World Book Day (23 April 2008).