Country Hopper- My Wonderful Journey in the World of Books

It's not about how many books you've read,
it is the places they have taken you in the amount of time
you spent reading them.

I have traveled
To a world far away
To countries, regions and continents
Above the sky and below the sea
In deserts, hot, humid and dusty
To green lands, cool and tranquil
I have been to Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq
Through the wars, murder and brutality in A thousand splendid suns
I have been to Nigeria, listened to the drum beats of the Igbo
To the other edge of Kenya, saw modernity battle with traditions
Of female circumcision and planned early marriages


I was a child soldier; my mother raped and slain to death,
Instead of crawling, taught how to hold a gun
I was a mother
Lost a child through miscarriage
My husband mistreated me
I lost the other, forced to abort
It would bring shame to the family, taint its good name

I have time travelled
To the past and to the future
To India, Land of the Geishas
Russia, united States name it
I even witnessed the great London fire of 66!
Saw people die, buildings collapse, children and women killed at random
Seen democracy alternate between patriarchy and matriarchy
I have seen machines that can create human beings
I have travelled all this distance
While seated on my couch
Chewing on marshmallows and crackers.

My splendid journey
In the world of books.