How to read a book

I don’t know how to do this,

But neither do you.

It’s not about reading the right books,

Someone else’s idea of how we should relate.

We should be reading each other,

Not skimming through

So we can draw conclusions,

But reading every page, every word,

Giving the books composer the benefit of doubt,

Trying to understand what the author was up to

Instead of underlining

Where all the mistakes were made,

Crossing out phrases we don’t like

And scribbling in corrections,

Not drawing conclusions

With a partial, cursory reading.

It may be a cliché, but it is true,

You can’t judge a book by its cover.

And, as a side note,

Like reading the bible,

Proof-texting is not the way to go.

It’s about the author’s intent,

Not our opinion of what he wrote.