Alejandro Murgía wants to know what politicians are reading.

And please, political leaders — no excuses about how busy you are. If that's the case maybe you should retire so you can take some time to read.

A POETIC PAELLA

All the ingredients can be found

At your local bookstore

Take the honey from many languages

The poetic juice from many cultures

The crying songs of many lands

The spices of diverse foods

The love a parent has for a child

The love a child has for the wind

Include an image of bound feet

Discovered in a 19th century photo book

Plus the history of war crimes

Seasoned with the salt of exile

The lovers' caress before sex

Blend them together In any order You will find wisdom in every bite

Alejandro Murguía is San Francisco's poet laureate. His column will appear regularly.