reading for pleasure

do you read for pleasure
she asks
throwing you a tom
robbins book from a long
time ago,
paperback and worn,
the cover
once wet, wrinkled
and torn.
even cowgirls get the blues.
of course,
I tell her.
what other reason would
there be to read
unless you're studying
for a test in
school.
isn't all reading
supposed to be pleasurable,
as is eating,
or making love,
or sleeping.
i'll read it, I tell her,
and see where
it goes,
but if I don't like it,
duck,
i'll throw it across
the room.