I rested my head in the nook of aunt's elbow and heard fairy tales I travelled to the land of Cinderella's and Twelve Dancing Princesses Dreamt of playing with friendly talking birds and sitting on big tortoises Hansel and Gretel were so real that I craved for their chocolate houses As a teen I sought solitude and refuge in the nook of my tree-house Playing deaf to the calls for meals and incomplete homework from the main-house Romancing the castles with Cartland, shrieking wildly in Archie's mad-house Thrillers of Chase and giggles of Schoolgirls kept me awake in my book-house With age I left the warm nook of my aunt and tree-house for snuggles in bed Turning pages of Hardy's and Holt's till the pale light of dawn turned into red At times I flew with the poets and touched the starry heavens where angels tread Or sighed with Cressida's and Hamlet's, pined and died in their tumultous bed Emulating my loving aunts' passion for reading was freedom of thought Art of holding books between the thumb and little finger was sweetly taught My world opened with fairy tales giving birth to dreams was food for thought Delightful reads in my Camelot helped me to build my own school of thought 18 syllables in each line Judged on May2, 2016 For Laura Loo Second Chance Only 2