still cold
sanctuary
comes to life
with the flick
of light switch, sign
heater fan
whirring.
within seconds
silence shattered
eager heads pop in
are you here? they ask
I peek out from behind the
picture book stacks
you are here!
I grin
nuh-uh! , stick out my tongue
then they are here
all of them choosing to
stay in the library for recess
milling about me like wild geese
pecking and chattering
no silence in my library
(I gave that idea up long ago)
busy little mouths, eager brains
now learning new computers
searching they are always searching
are dragons an animal they ask
find me a book, they say

After school,
my community spills out,
makes it way to our little campus,
preschoolers toddle about
while emails soar at
unheard of Ridge speed
wow! daddies exclaim in wonder
can I print, mommies ask.
I flit from child to adult, and back to child
showing off our fairy tales,
our perma-culture, our new fiction
like precious jewels or fine paintings
have you seen this? or this?
I present proudly

This is my dream job
I am constantly smiling
and never silent
in my library