Burning Books
Listen not unto the lie that stings the lips.
Witness not the act that stays a pitied mind.
Speak not of the hatred that will crack the whips.
Let not those insidious be here enshrined.
Trample not upon the freedoms of your kin.
Take not which was never here for you to own.
Read not of the bitterness that splits the skin.
Write not of the malice that shatters the bone.
Reason with the lessons of humanity.
Realise the propaganda from the proof.
Help those that may not yet see with clarity.
Serve those that may not yet see the glaring truth.
Wicked minds will fabricate defiling fear.
Subtle flames upon the words that start the rend.
Dare they see the doom upon the sentence here;
Burning books will burn but people in the end.
Copyright © 2014 by Simon Austin
Simon Austin
Tue 15th Jul 2014 12:30
Thank you Daniel, that's really very kind of you, I'm really happy to hear you have enjoyed some of my work :)
I recently visited the Imperial War Museum in London and took the picture you see alongside the poem. The plaque was tucked away almost out of sight in the exhibition area, but when I saw it I couldn't believe how powerful and how poignant the words were - which therein inspired the poem you see.
Thank you again for taking the time to read :)