tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58416189030299310312024-03-13T08:37:23.450+08:00A LOUSY MIRROROVER 3 DECADES OF POETRY AND ART BY
ROBERT D. WILSONrobert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-28426705353357188612013-10-19T21:30:00.001+08:002014-01-13T19:07:09.442+08:00Free Copy of Robert D. Wilson's Jack Fruit Moon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Anyone wishing to have a FREE electronic copy of my book of hokku, haiku, and tanka, Jack Fruit Moon, can contact me via e-mail, to request a copy.</div>
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foamfish@gmail.com</div>
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<br />robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-17266292505940578512012-03-31T16:17:00.001+08:002013-10-19T21:44:50.373+08:00Once more . . .<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">March 31, 2012</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Robert D. Wilson's</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> A depository of poetry penned by </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> the <b>ALLEY CAT</b> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> of </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Japanese short form poetics </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> <b> treading stillness . . .</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b> the alley cat, and</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>the mouse</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>robert d. wilson</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><b>©2012</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Wilson is the Co-Founder and Co-Owner of Simply Haiku, the literary journal that has, in its tenure, changed the course of haiku and related genres worldwide. Uncompromising, Wilson follows his heart and won't be bullied by the good old boys and girls of any genre. He's hated by who he calls "the blank faced timex watches who want the same old, same old . . . " and respected by those with good self images and self winding brains</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Robert D. Wilson seeks no fame, money, or an arena. His banner cry is literary integrity. A small-minded band of pirates tried to close Simply Haiku down via mutiny and lies a few years ago, behind Wilson's back, while he was recovering from an illness: Carol Raisfeld, Ray Rasmussen, Johnye Strictland, Micheal Rehling illegally announced to the online world that Simply Haiku had shut down its doors and proceeded to thank Wilson and others for their contribution to Simply Haiku. They forgot that Wilson had been named as Simply Haiku's owner or co-owner on its cover for almost a decade. One of the mutineers even had the audacity to write Wilson and demand that he give Simply Haiku to him. Wilson told the pirate to "take a flying leap!"</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Wilson, raised by his father to rise up against adversity and be a scrapper "alley cat," with the aid of his best friend and sister, Sasa Vazic, kept Simply Haiku alive, and today its readership has doubled, which tells you the value Simply Haiku has in the hearts and minds of people who want to rise above the morass and truly understand, fathom, and compose quality haiku and related genres.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>LOUSY MIRROR</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>A depository of poetry, poetic prose, and artwork built up over 3 decades.</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>Not your average bear.</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>Not your average poetry.</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Says Wilson:</span><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"Contained in Lousy Mirror, is the poetry I have composed in the past three and a half decades, for good or for worse. No hold barred. It is a record, therefore, of this poet's growth. Pure and simple. I am always honing my creative output. I have not arrived and will never arrive." </span></i><br />
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<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The format and style of Wilson's poetry has evolved over the past 3 decades. The metrics and style therein do may conform to what the author espouses today as haiku, tanka, etc. It is a record, a snapshot of the poet's mind.</span></i><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">mirror, mirror</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">on the wall, whose reflection</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a woodsman's</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">grip, the stillborn</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">darkness of</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a marmot's winter</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">pushing ice cubes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i> </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><i> The author as a young Cub Scout at the San Diego Zoo</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />she sleeps in<br />a bed scattered<br />with leaves</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">this moon<br /> watching her dance<br /> on the <br />shoreline as if <br />the stars exist</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">
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a house to</div>
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mosquitoes and rats?</div>
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spring dreams!</div>
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I listen</div>
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to autumn speak</div>
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through waves . . .</div>
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thinking of young girls</div>
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birthing in shanties</div>
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short night . . .</div>
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candles speaking</div>
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to candles . . .</div>
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your roots, tree,</div>
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clasp the wall behind</div>
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you, shielding</div>
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candles from the</div>
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dredges of winter</div>
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late winter . . .</div>
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the flitter of bats</div>
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taunt death</div>
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<br /></div>
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speak to me,</div>
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flame, from your child's</div>
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candle . . .</div>
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assure me that death</div>
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is more than a word</div>
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<br /></div>
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late for work?</div>
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spring tiptoes past me</div>
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in a hurry</div>
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<br /></div>
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where are you</div>
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at night when light</div>
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exists in</div>
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cemeteries</div>
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and empty captions?</div>
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</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">stay with me,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">dragon, another<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> night . . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">tie-dying sheets<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">into curtains<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">marmot . . .</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">the trees you dream </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">have no leaves</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">the waterfall<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">in your eyes, and the<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">spring that wasn't<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">in a dream,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">the thin legs of<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">an egret . . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">glued to dry mud like<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">a postage stamp<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">spider, your<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">hunt a whisper . . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">noon winds<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">am i<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">missing something,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">shotetsu?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">words in any order<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">floating in stale ponds<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">spring rain . . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">not enough words<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">for a haiku<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">When the winds<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">wither, and the canyon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">stares at me<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">with deep set eyes . . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">a heart breathing song<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">shall we . . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">swim with catfish<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">through the moon?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> twilight dawn . . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">my heart dangles from<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">a rope bridge<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">grateful for the<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">absence of wind</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: ArialMT;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">short night . . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> hut, the same moon . . .<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">i ask rice fields to<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">laps in an old maid's<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">like the<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">i wait for a world<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">that doesn't need me<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">spring swims<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">laps in an old maid's</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and you, tree . . .</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">white washing treetops</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">with now</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">i know, a</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">tilapia swimming</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">through me . . .</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in a poem ban'ya</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">calls a haiku</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">cradling</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> a marmot's head . . . </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in winter</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">stop the world</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> i want to get off . . . </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">stretch my</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">song into counter</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> melodies and moans</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">sip muffled</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> thoughts stirred with leaves . . .</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">jack fruit moon</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">you
visit<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">me
night after night<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">in
dreams<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">saved
for comedy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">clubs
and sick jokes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">spring
breeze<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">the
rice field dance<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">of
paper kites<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">
</span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">why
do you<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
walk
through me<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
tonight
like<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
a
bakla singing<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
tagalog
love songs?<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
your
voice, girl,<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
could
have been a<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
spider
monkey's<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
an
egret<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
crosses
my wife's<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
rearview
mirror<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
into
another<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
drivers
caption<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
a
walk beside<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
belching jeepneys . . .<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
humid
day<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8qaIjiVKJPEtkXxhu5vN98-jx3cURiI9FEaSuEAm28h3cF3yRdvi5nQkpYD10A67u65D4jb20gCLwTwbSh3nrKcrW4akMZ8Dr8ltO7m_N1kxQoEbKMSmkPXTgQFkVdXE9_tCvlf9R7g/s1600/IMG_2525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV8qaIjiVKJPEtkXxhu5vN98-jx3cURiI9FEaSuEAm28h3cF3yRdvi5nQkpYD10A67u65D4jb20gCLwTwbSh3nrKcrW4akMZ8Dr8ltO7m_N1kxQoEbKMSmkPXTgQFkVdXE9_tCvlf9R7g/s640/IMG_2525.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and still </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">this sand, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">white-washing .. . </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">steep walls</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">My mother bore down, pushing me into this </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">world </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">on the 13th of May, yes, a Friday, at 9:30 </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">morning, grimacing, cursing, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">reminded </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">every </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">second </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">that </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">my path and hers will be forever </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">entwined </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">cosmic circus tent filled with mirrors </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">donated </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">by big business, the John Birch Society, and an infinite number of posers </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">insisting that Van Gogh painted by numbers.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> twilight dawn . . .</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a catfish with his</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">mouth open</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">manicured . . . </span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">dreams swathed in a</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">young man's blood</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">robert d. wilson</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>I grew up</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> in middle class, never lock your front door, America, when Norman Rockwell wore under-roos, and every parent sounded like Homer Simpson. Barry Goldwater signs made love to manicured lawns; Susie Creamcheese was the school slut; and milk bottles were still delivered to your front door. War was a John Wayne shoot-em-up we watched with our dads, who yelled out, "Kill the Japs!" Shoot the Krauts!" "Hangem by the balls!"</span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">On weekends, we played sports: baseball, football, basketball. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Afterwards, we ate t.v.dinners in front of small screen television sets in the belly of the MGM lion.</span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Never in our wildest imaginations did we think we'd some day face the invisible fire of young men and </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">women, even children, programmed to "Kill the Americans!"in the dawn's early light.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Boating upriver</b></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>into a dream saved</b></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>for nights like </b></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>this, </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>when alice sets</b></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>fire to wonderland</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">All of us stationed in Dong Tam at some time or another were assigned to river patrol. This entailed </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">navigating narrow, brown water river-ways in Vietnam's </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Mekong Delta through dense vegetation, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">partially obscured villages, and blind turns. We knew we </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">were being watched. It was impossible to ascertain if the villagers </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">we passed were for or against us. The enemy didnʼt wear </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">uniforms. </span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Most of the time, these forays were uneventful. Sometimes, when we least </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">expected it to, all hell would break loose, descending </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">us into the bowels of a dragon mirroring Danteʼs Inferno.</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Flame throwers belching fire; flashes of light; tracers; automatic </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">gunfire, mortars; shrapnel; blood; out-of-control heartbeats, interwoven </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">with the scent of death. </span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">While some of my friends in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">America were living the good life: cruising the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">boulevard, surfing, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">attending concerts, dancing, dating, and working </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">towards goals, I </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">was in a jungle on the other side of the planet, dancing </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">with Alice </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in the Wonderland Amusement Park.</span></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">elephant grass . . .</span></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a gnat whispering,</span></b></div>
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">“youʼre next”</span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I remember the wisps of air shooting past me </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">like gnats as if it were yesterday. Only it was </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">44 years ago, and I was an 18 year old sailor </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">serving my country on a small base in the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Mekong Delta region of the former Republic of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">South Vietnam in a war that would change my </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">life forever.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b> yesterday . . .</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b> blossoms giving birth</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>to mirrors</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">My father went to war. My mother's father, before him. We were taught to love our country.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We saw America as a beacon light of freedom that could do no wrong. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 124px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We had freedoms enjoyed nowhere else on the planet</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">. It was out duty as soldiers and as Americans to protect these freedoms here and abroad, keeping the commies at bay.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Vietnam was a domino.a boot shaped country under siege by communists. If it fell, other countries would fall, one after the other. Communism was barking at our back door. To preserve America's freedoms, we had to do what we had to do:</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">risk life and limb like our ancestors did, on a foreign </span>shore.</i></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">No one told us that Firestone Rubber, Shell Oil Company, and other Western business interests had huge holdings in the Republic</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">of South Vietnam . . . or that 90% of the world's tungsten was on her shores.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">No one told us that this tiny, remote country in Southeast Asia was ruled by a heartless psychopathic tyrant who didn't hesitate to</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">murder someone who practiced the freedoms we practiced in America. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>endless summer . . .</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>a shadow pretending</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>to be a god</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">We fought a war in a country we knew little to nothing about. South Vietnam was not in our high school textbooks; and there was no Discovery Channel introducing my peers and I to exotic cultures. We were, in essence, the personification of Robert Heinlen's book, A Stranger in A Strange Land.</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">A poor country ravaged by a thousand years of war, corruption, and military dictatorships, many South Vietnamese people living in the cities wanted to be delivered to the promise-land they'd heard about in the news. </span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">American soldiers were looked upon as saviors by many Vietnamese people. We were the embodiment of the life they<span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times;">ʼ</span>d dreamed of. Many naively thought we<span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times;">ʼ</span>d win the war and turn their country into a miniature United States. We were not saviors, however, and we did not transform their country<span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times;">ʼ</span>s economy into a likeness of ours. Neither did we win the war. Bowing to political pressure in the U.S., our Armed Forces deserted the South Vietnamese people. leaving in their wake a bloodbath for those who supported our country and the dictatorship we<span style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times;">ʼ</span>d helped place into power and supported.</span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">mute, the wind</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">treading bamboo bridges . . .</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">syllables?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Quiet . . . nothing moved, breathed, or thought . . . a carnival of anticipation, spirits clothed in ashes, painting yesterday with un-calloused fingers </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">no one thought would be decide another's fate. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I was 18 and 19, living in the dragon's belly, unsure of a future that could or couldn't be brought home in a body bag covered with my country's flag.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">From high school to hell in less than a year. What was church, Billy Graham, the Beach Boys, and the Beatles in a world suddenly upended, the moon on leave from his senses?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>"That's all for now. I finally found the time to put this addition to my archives together. So much to do with so little time. Maintaining and uploading this library, finishing a book on haiku criticism, facing a deadline for a redefinition of Vietnam Ruminations, that will be distributed free to American troops and their families. by a non-haiku related publishing house. And that my readers and detractors is just the tip off of the proverbial iceberg."</b></span></div>
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robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-9775916712712793472011-11-13T17:08:00.001+08:002011-11-13T17:08:17.235+08:00AFTER A SHORT HIATUSAFTER A SHORT HIATUS . . .robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-89039717624316743022011-08-10T11:05:00.003+08:002011-08-24T19:49:01.926+08:00#28<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">*This library is in no way connected to the HSA</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Robert D. Wilson's</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Over 3 decades of</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Haiku, senryu, haibun, tanka, haiga, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">and free verse Performance Poetry </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">unlike anything you've read before.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Uplift Svetlana Marislov</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">as she battles an aggressive</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">brain cancer.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Her name means <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">LIGHT</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">and we need more light in</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">this world.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">the softness </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">of petals treading</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">dreams</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">robert d. wilson</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">teach me,</span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">nature, the dance</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">of echoes . . . </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">the song of silence</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">painting canyons</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">share with me</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">a breath speaking</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">petals</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">where to sit</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">in a storefront window</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">housing</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">mannequins on</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">leave from their senses</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> stupid duck . . .</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">sitting on a tree limb</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">with wrens</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">tomorrow,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">a tree sculpted</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> with words . . .</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">waiting for leaves</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">placed between pages </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> a hard rain . . . </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">the hollow song of</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">bamboo flutes</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">is this the</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">song </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the wind sings</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">when waves crash . . .</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and dreams fill a</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">young girl's pail?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> and you . . . </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">painting umbrellas</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">with noah</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">rise child,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">from mother's womb;</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> breathe deeply . . . </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">grasp the light reaching</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">into your heart</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">from a small</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">hut, a loom spinning</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">moonlight</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> cement blocks . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">a spring i'm not</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">quite sure of</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I too </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">have lived alone, </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">speaking to </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the inanimate </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">like good friends</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> red moon . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">sharing my walk</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">with a dragon</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> morning walk . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">i look for snipers</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in a world</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">lit by candles</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">always burning</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">my wife's</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">afraid of you, mouse . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">mid-winter</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">for hours</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">she stared at a </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">grave stone</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">talking to bones</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">that whispered</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">i look for </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">her outside my head . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">sipping spring</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">this morning</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a gravestone asked</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">me to find</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">its rightful place</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in a daydream</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> floating trash . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">push bubbles under</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a vendor's store</span></div>
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<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">i felt safe this</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">morning walking </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">past gravestones . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">the morning sky</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">half gray, half blue</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">mother, was </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">that you last night,</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">patching clouds?</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">like the wine</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">i can't drink, your</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">breath speeds past</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">me, leaving words</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">i reach out for</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">my wife sleeps,</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">swimming in the</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">echo of water</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> long journey . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">ashes of the</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> burning hut</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">clasp hands with those</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">who lived there before</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">upside down,</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">star gazing between</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">your legs</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the smell of</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a dead mouse in </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">our room; the </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">faerie tale i</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">dreamt in 3-d</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the dirt on</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">my feet write haiku . . .</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">spring dreams</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the flat sound </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">of a bargirl cursing . . . </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in the</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">echoes caught between</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">heavy traffic</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">take me, leaf,</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">above the wheat grass</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">smile of autumn</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">i forgot</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the leaves floating</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">past me </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">are only dreams </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">painting memories</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">bright fish?</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">am i too only</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a winter dream?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">like a wren</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">beating dawn with</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">her wings . . .</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">your song an odd</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">one smoothing stones </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the scent of</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">darkness between a</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">wintry dream</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">she sees spring</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">weave itself through</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> gray clouds . . .</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">pink baby rats waiting</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">for the lizard's tongue</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">watching</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">rose petals struggle . . .</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">sunday morning</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">is it time</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">for me to give back</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">to the earth</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the clouds in my chest</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">dancing with words?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">can spring paint dreams</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">on a young boy's chest?</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">muddied feet</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">how can it</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">be, darkness sculpting</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">dreams into</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">into tin dragons</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">dipped in sewage?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130; font-size: large;">like human</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130; font-size: large;">candles, the stars scraping</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130; font-size: large;">darkness</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130; font-size: large;">robert d. wilson</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130; font-size: x-small;">©2011</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></span><br />
<div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">cherry blossoms . . .</span></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
<div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">their little ones!</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">their little ones!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</span></span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When I was in Vietnam in 1968, widows of fallen soldiers came into Saigon to</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">work as bargirls.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It is one of the poorest </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">countries on earth, both then </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and now. Earning a living </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is very difficult, especially for a </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">single mother. One bargirl </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I met, went to the University </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of Saigon during the day majoring </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in Economics. It was her dream </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to one day be self-supportive </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and to give her children </span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">extended family a good life.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Boating upriver</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">into a dream saved</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">for nights like this,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">when alice sets</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">fire to wonderland</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">All of us stationed in Dong Tam at some time or another were assigned to river patrol. This entailed navigating narrow, brown water river ways in Vietnamʼs Mekong Delta through dense vegetation, partially obscured villages, and blind turns. We knew we being watched. If we passed it was impossible to ascertain if the villagers we were for or against us. The enemy didnʼt wear uniforms. Most of the time, these forays were uneventful. Sometimes, when we least expected it to, all hell would break loose, tossing us into the bowels of a dragon mirroring Danteʼs Inferno. Flame throwers belching fire; flashes of light; tracers; automatic gunfire, mortars; shrapnel; blood; out-of-control heartbeats, interwoven with the scent of death. While some of my friends in America were living the good life: cruising the boulevard, surfing, attending concerts, dancing, dating, and working towards goals, was in a jungle on the other side of the planet dancing with Alice </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">in the Wonderland Amusement Park.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">elephant grass . . .</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">a gnat whispering,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“youʼre next”</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I remember the wisps of air shooting past me</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">like gnats as if it were yesterday. Only it was</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">38 years ago and I was an 18 year old sailor</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">serving my country on a small base in the</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mekong Delta region of the former Republic of</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">South Vietnam in a war that would change my</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">life forever.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">endless summer </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">a shadow pretending </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to be a god</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We fought a war in a country we knew </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">little to nothing about. South Vietnam </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">was not in our high school textbooks. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And there was no Discovery Channel </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> my </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">peers and I to exotic cultures. We</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">were, in essence, the personification </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">of Robert Hienleinʼs A Stranger in A </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Strange Land, introducing a poor </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">country ravaged by a thousand years </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">of war, corruption, and military </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">dictatorships, the people of this </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Southeast Asian country wanted to </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">be </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">saved and delivered to the promise </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">land theyʼd heard abouts in the news </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and entertainment media.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">American soldiers were looked upon </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">as saviors by many Vietnamese people. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> were the embodiment of the life theyʼd </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">dreamed of. Many naively thought </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">weʼd win </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">the war and turn their country </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">into a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">miniature United States. We </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">were not </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">saviors, however, and we </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">did not </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">transform their countryʼs </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">economy into </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">one like ours. And we did not </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">win the war. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bowing to political pressure in America, </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">our Armed Forces deserted the South </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Vietnamese people, leaving in their </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">wake a bloodbath for those who </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">supported our country and the </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">dictatorship weʼd helped place into </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">power and supported.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We returned</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">home from the dragon to</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> a new war . . .</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">students killed by men</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">trained for vietnam</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">How can i forget the day I disembarked from an airliner at Travis Air Force Base, seeing the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">U.S.A. for the first time in almost a year. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Vietnam was behind me now, or so I t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">hought. My buddies and I were given </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">48 hours of shore leave before we had to return to Treasure Island Naval Base below the Oakland Bay Bridge.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We went to the cheapest hotel we could find in one of the roughest neighborhoods in San Francisco. We headed for a bar</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">that was darker than hell, or perhaps, it was the regurgitation of Dante who'd had his filled of hell. A man was beating a woman on the floor and I was advised</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">tomind my own business or risked being stabbed, It was a Black bar and I was the only White guy. I didn't drink back then, which was an embarrassment to my buddies, and ordered a soda. Eyes rolled. If they'd sold opium, hash,or weed, I would have partaken in a microsecond.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That night we checked into our rooms. Rated triple ZZZ. The rooms smelled of urine and a cheap ammonia spray. We smoked a joint (we'd pirated some home) and fell asleep for 25 hours.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We rarely slept a full night in Nam, and when we did, it was a light sleep, never knowing when we'd be attacked. Unless you've been in a war, you have no idea what a soldier experiences even if you watch every was movie made. War is reality. Screens face seats and boxes of popcorn smothered with butter.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Later that night, we went to the Fillmore Auditorium, where we heard was the place to for good music and a hip time.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Before I shipped over to the Mekong Delta, Nancy Sinatra was singing, These Boots Are Made For Walking. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Fillmore was Hermann Hesse's Steppenwolf, a circus of this and that</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">emceed by the Phantom of the Opera.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Walls were melting, people were melting,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">a thousand silent movies draped over Janis Joplin and Big Brother and The Holding Company, jugs of red mountain wine passed from hand to hand laced liberally with LSD, weaving through a</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">crowd that looked like toons trying on outfits in a movie studio costume room on speed.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Girls were dancing ecstatically, some without tops, Dali's brush dripping like a young stud's wet dream, in and out of the chards of lights going this way and that, undulating satyrs in an asylum, the cha cha cha of Hidy Hidy Hi, Hidy Hidy Ho,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">and the cops stood by, enhaling the thick cloud of cannabis.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">America had changed. It'd be a couple of days before we discovered how much.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: magenta; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pray for Svetlana, Lisa, and Kirsten</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">*This library is in no way affiliated with the Haiku Society of America</span></div>
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robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-1320305953398294082011-07-30T23:43:00.002+08:002011-08-10T09:40:10.126+08:00# 27<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Robert D. Wilson's</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">arrogant</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">man, disturbing a</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">marmot's sleep!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">i saw you</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">in a teacup this</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"> morning . . .</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">grating nutmeg</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">on a precipice </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">the summer</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> men fell instead of . . . </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">dry leaves</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">night's lack</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">of song, the belly cry</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">of trikes . . . </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">it's hard for me to</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">sleep inside a cloud </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">light after light,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">threading nightfall </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">into smiles</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">what if a</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">tilapia watched</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">me gasp</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">waiting for a</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">kilo of coffee?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-style: italic;"> </b> restless grass . . . </span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a spider's web</span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>
</i></b></span><br />
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">breathing words</span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>
</i></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></b></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>
</i></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></b></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">ah winter,</span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the unveiling of</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">branches!</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">look! a dead </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">mouse poisoned with </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the words i</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">wrote to you last night</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">before the lunar eclipse</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">i saw you </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">last night in a dream . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">breathing blossoms</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">i travel </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">beyond the stars</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">into an</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">eternity</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">made of sticky rice</span></div>
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</span><div>
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<div style="font: 12.0px Tahoma; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">before dawn</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Tahoma; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">an egret stands</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Tahoma; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">in the quiet</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Tahoma; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">waiting for my</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Tahoma; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">breath to wriggle</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Tahoma; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">twilight dusk . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">bats and candles</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">taper spring</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">hungry, i</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">reach out for a</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">moon that </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">doesn't have time</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to graffitti minds</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">depths of thought</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">deceiving winter . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">a light rain</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">on days like</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">this, i want to </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">run away . . .</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">resurrect my mother</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">with her ashes</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">in a porridge </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">of voices and trikes . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">another spring</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">my mind,</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">a stagnant pond</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">that cannot</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">sleep, regurgitating</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">my fear of failure</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">chase me away . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">with the field mouse</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">i've become</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">i lock</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">myself up in</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">a mind </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">playing tug-o-war</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">with skeletons</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">it's you i</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">sip this afternoon,</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">wearing summer</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
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<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">i converse</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">with the sounds i</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">lock outside</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">of my window</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">playing chess with words</span></div>
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<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">cement blocks . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a spring i'm not</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">quite sure of</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I too </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">have lived alone, </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">speaking to </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the inanimate </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">like good friends</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> red moon . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">sharing my walk</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">with a dragon</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> morning walk . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">i look for snipers</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in a world</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">lit by candles</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">always burning</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">my wife's</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> afraid of you, mouse . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">mid-winter</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">for hours</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">she stared at a </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">grave stone</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">talking to bones</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">that whispered</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">i look for her</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">outside my head . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">sipping spring</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">this morning</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a gravestone asked</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">me to find</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">its rightful place</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in a daydream</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> floating trash . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">push bubbles under</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a vendor's store</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">wishing<br />i could<br />hold you again<br />and<br />again<br />i think of you<br />at night<br />when wind<br />beckons me<br />to enter<br />a dream<br />we shared<br />once<br />upon<br />a time<br />you<br />placed<br />my hand<br />upon<br />your breast<br />pulled me<br />into a<br />watercolor<br />painting<br />that stubbornly<br />refused<br />to dry<br /><br /><br />robert d. wilson<br /><br />©2005</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i></i></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYPQTfK1JBUj6M5blTWRleYnfhhMLraq_q1pAjldLAhi6I8z2rHFihlZOcDwt3QZxv6vxK1V1nTghXXKamu302m4wO7NzjdKxm_DsgcsUHmXyJd6-OcaVFSe8qG7m-HZp0cnc9ze-OfDo/s1600/VR+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYPQTfK1JBUj6M5blTWRleYnfhhMLraq_q1pAjldLAhi6I8z2rHFihlZOcDwt3QZxv6vxK1V1nTghXXKamu302m4wO7NzjdKxm_DsgcsUHmXyJd6-OcaVFSe8qG7m-HZp0cnc9ze-OfDo/s640/VR+Cover.jpg" width="586" /></a></i></b></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>
</i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i></i></b></span><br />
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">summer has ended --</span></i></b></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>
</i></b></span><br />
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">what are they to you, these people</span></i></b></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>
</i></b></span><br />
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">in the dragonʼs belly?</span></i></b></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
</i></b></span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">More than once, I was invited to have supper with a South Vietnamese family. The families I dined with were not rich. Most barely eked out a living. The meals they served my friends and I, however, were second to none, usually consisting of rice, shrimp, a kale-like vegetable, and dessert. The <br />meals were delicious and abundant. Better than the food, however, was the hospitality. Our hosts treated us like visiting royalty, insisting we eat more, giving us the best seats, continually asking us if we wanted refills for our sodas. The South Vietnamese people are some of the nicest, most considerate people on this planet.<br /><br />The Viet Cong were everywhere, especially in the Mekong Delta region where I was stationed. Those who offered hospitality to American servicemen, paid a high price for their generosity. Sooner or later, they would be tortured, killed, or forced to serve as spies by the VC. The Communists were <br />merciless with those who sympathized with the American war effort. I have seen their handiwork first hand. Backs with burn marks and horrible bruises. Backs that had been brutally beat. And that wasnʼt the worst. <br /><br />Our guests gave to us and asked for nothing in return. Never once did they pump us for information. They gave because that was who they were... generous, giving people. We, supposedly, were in South Vietnam to help and protect the people from the evils of Communism. Our presence in the war <br />gave many a false hope. A hope for a day when they too could be free from war and poverty.<br /><br />The United States left Vietnam in 1975, withdrawing from a war that claimed an excessive amount of human lives. The Republic of South Vietnamʼs government was toppled instantaneously by the North Vietnamese armed forces. What happened next to those who helped the American war <br />effort was not a pretty scene. Thousands were killed. Thousands were tortured. Others were forced to attend reeducation camps. A Vietnamese friend of mine who later managed to escape from Vietnam as a boat person with his <br />extended family, told me of former South Vietnamese policemen who were tied spread eagle in his villageʼs square and hideously tortured as an example for all to see.<br /><br /> Do we, who served in the Vietnam War, ever think about our hosts today? Are we concerned about the welfare of the Vietnamese people we were formerly </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">charged to protect?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">louder than a parrot,</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> the soldier in the field . . .</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">drinking beer</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Americans by nature are a loud lot. In comparison, the Vietnamese people are soft spoken and rarely raise</span></div>
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">their voice. It is considered rude to yell or speak loudly. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is due in </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">part to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">the Buddhist influence. Many times I walked through villages </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">in the Mekong Delta. Always it was a peaceful experience. No </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">loud music, no screaming kids, no blaring television sets; the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">air permeated with the soft whisper of woman doing chores, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">children playing, animals grazing, and the fluttering of banana </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">leaves.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A lot of soldiers drank heavily. This is not uncommon in a war</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">zone. Unfortunately, the use of alcohol erases all inhibitions.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This made for loud voices, aggressive behavior, and a lack of</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">moral restraint. Several of my buddies drank themselves drunk</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">on weekend leave. Their voices pierced the quiet countryside;</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">their frustration, fear, and prejudices magnified tenfold.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">They became obnoxious, disrespectful, and grabbed at passing</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">women with sexual abandon, oblivious to their complaints.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">They were armed, the women were not. The only police in the</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">village, South Vietnamese Army guards who didnʼt want to</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">make waves. Unrestrained, the drunken soldiers did what they</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">pleased.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">burnt flesh and</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">jasmine co-mingle</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">this afternoon</span></div>
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American jets dropped napalm bombs on Viet Cong strongholds. It was also shot from flame-throwers,and </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">delivered via missiles. Napalm, when it comes into </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">contact </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">with human skin, sticks to it </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and ignites, </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">causing a person to become a human </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">torch.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />in the elephant <br />grass, spent shells <br />made of skin<br /><br /><br /> Many of us in America know of someone who died in the Vietnam War. Some of my schoolmates and friends </span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">perished in combat. What almost never comes to mind, however, are the untold thousands of civilians who died during the war, including women and children. Missiles, mortar shells, napalm, boobytraps, and automatic weapon fire killed all who came across their path of fire. What I saw in South Vietnam will haunt me forever.<br /> <br /><br /> curio shop . . .<br />in the back room, a woman <br />shredding dog meat<br /> <br /><br />Dogs are eaten in Vietnam. In America, where dogs are revered as pets, the practice is repulsive. They're </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">considered members of the family. Almost human. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Vietnam, on the other hand, is an extremely poor </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">country. Poverty is rampant. Starvation a stark reality. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Having a pet </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">dog is inconceivable. To the Vietnamese, dogs </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">are a source of meat, nothing more. The meat's </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">nutritious, just as safe to eat as beef or pork. <br /><br />Once, during shore leave, I ate what I thought was a water buffalo sandwich in a riverfront cafe in Mytho, a small city in the Mekong Delta, not far from our base. I told the waitress, “This is good water buffalo.” She looked at me like I was crazy and said, “That not water buffalo, GI. Too expensive. That dog.”</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">shed your skin,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">snake, in a dried up</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> riverbed . . .</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the rustle of leaves</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the courtship of wrens</span><br />
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robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-23026395959896041292011-06-26T22:18:00.001+08:002011-08-10T09:40:37.799+08:00# 26<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Robert D. Wilson's</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> <b> this monsoon . . .</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>gone the feint of heart</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>and toad song</b></span></div>
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</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>robert d. wilson</b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">father's day</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">is more than an e-mail</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">unsent</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">by fair weather children</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">on an overcast night</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a dragon,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">this rain, forcing palm</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">trees to bow?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">remove from</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">me, rain, the residue</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> of ashes . . .</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the body bag of</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">too late, too late</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> dry petals . . .</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a young boy's dream,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">too late</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> brother wren . . .</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">is there room for me too</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">on this limb?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">where ghosts</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">blow bubbles beneath a</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> stagnant pond . . . </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the dark stillness </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">catfish waiting</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">faeries gasping</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> for air, these bubbles . . . </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">feigning madness</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a mother</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">sits in three feet</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> of water . . . </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">staring at the</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> baby Jesus</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> a small ant . . . </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">to leave its safety</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and wander</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMapTP_GDi9GTT0JPy6MNinpN_VyqQEEOfIyMffc-DXAeqPJEpUoz9U_ObHAdS7ds_TY_jFn7RiJx9cvXpvHj03oZEII2pV-NLJ-fggyjG2-oS0yP6A2irVzw-lpGk6gtRbF2YpzsJKB0/s1600/still-the-rain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMapTP_GDi9GTT0JPy6MNinpN_VyqQEEOfIyMffc-DXAeqPJEpUoz9U_ObHAdS7ds_TY_jFn7RiJx9cvXpvHj03oZEII2pV-NLJ-fggyjG2-oS0yP6A2irVzw-lpGk6gtRbF2YpzsJKB0/s400/still-the-rain.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">she lies</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> beside me, sleeping . . . </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">painting</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">a canvas teachers</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">say don't exist</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the scent of</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> vine ripened mangoes . . . </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">courting stars</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">gone, the</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">small bridges in </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">rice fields . . .</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">ghosts clad in</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">seaweed kimonos</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">wrens sing</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> on a fence post . . .</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">windmills</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">what happens</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">when men play god in </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">rice paddies</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">burrowed in the bosom</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">of hyacinth clusters?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> hot night . . .</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a slug swathed in</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">bubbles</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">watching </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> a monitor lizard </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> tread water . . . </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and old women</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">scolding mosquitos</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">an echo</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> we both inhabit . . . </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">dancing leaves</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">maybe a</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">dream world sculpting</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">yesterday . . . </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">with broken teacups</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and charred baby's bones</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a shadow,</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">this void, reading</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">my own words</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEznBW2xb83z1mbugSvmOUZeAfjXTfCE7cT_wVU8EvuhMmqkJFzpN_tyis9zkJCHNziB4qvnexwvIdXX4EEO4-D3RlZ3axFDGdhdHsoVi97P2q8Ip1ZHdFrcN59HBlXmDhabwkKsFsWC4/s1600/theblack-keys-nof-a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEznBW2xb83z1mbugSvmOUZeAfjXTfCE7cT_wVU8EvuhMmqkJFzpN_tyis9zkJCHNziB4qvnexwvIdXX4EEO4-D3RlZ3axFDGdhdHsoVi97P2q8Ip1ZHdFrcN59HBlXmDhabwkKsFsWC4/s640/theblack-keys-nof-a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">maybe some</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">day you'll fix the</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">toy you</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">tried to ride in</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">my rear view mirror</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> spring blossoms . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">spreading bagoong on</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">green mango</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">late night . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a toddler sweeping</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">dirt with a </span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">straw broom where</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">his father works</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a fish ball, the</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">moon, stretching</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">limits</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a thousand legs</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">on mccarthur</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">highway</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">fishing for soldiers</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">to feed their families</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> deep morning . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a drunken moon between</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">her breasts</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">i want to</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">relax, a selfish</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">stone fixed on</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">temporality and</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">cherry blossoms</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">inhale</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> when i exhale . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">new rice</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">i sense you</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">across the ocean,</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">sending words</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in paper airplanes</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">over the dragon's spine</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> dancing water . . . </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the wind playing</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">with leaves</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> Dawn's early light . . .</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">On the way home from the Vietnam war, I closed my eyes, and kept them closed for the next 4 decades, traveling in and out of mirrors, sleeping in an old car with a half brained dog with a thing for muddy water; talking to walls that danced, every woman an e-ticket ride in uncle Walt's enchanted kingdom, my shadow stuffing his face with marijuana and cheap cans of sardines. . . California dreaming, star spangled and no banner, cruising with dragons up and down the coast into a black hole I swear was Joe E. Brown's mouth, staring at zebras, sea otters, walking snails, my brain on overload, thinking a thousand thoughts, blinking on and off, a neon sign in a diner with black and white checkered floor tiles, drinking cheap coffee, fondling runaway big breasted girls with pigtails in overall shorts with little room to breathe . . . at the dawn' early light: policemen, detectives, herding us into the sanctuary of an ancient Unitarian Church in Nixon's hometown, minus the Quakers, dragging butt naked AWOL soldiers into waiting cars, to be hung later, upside down, from the ceiling of the Red Queen's brig . . . vomit, bad trips, dancing bears the March Hare hired to impersonate life size cats blowing smoke rings into an empty tea cup . . . Jim Morrison singing, The End, in Paris, France.<br />
<br />
the shrill scream<br />
of incoming waves . . .<br />
waiting<br />
<br />
robert d. wilson</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">©2011</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">how can she</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">dance in a shanty</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">made of</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">egg shells and a</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">little boy's sandals?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a kigo </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">flies out of an</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> egret's chest . . .</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">sewing shadows</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">into an old man's pen</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">will you</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">remember me, son,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">after locusts</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">eat our village, my</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">ashes a still-borne dream?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">a knight</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> slaying windmills</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> after dusk . . .</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">ignoring the mirrors</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">of vindictive priests?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a lamb </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> at the altar . . .</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">bleeding light</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">tonight, </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">when stars shutter</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">and the moon</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">dines behind clouds . . . </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">your words in petals</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">you sleep with</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> the moon on a highway . . .</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">painted with lights</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">what does she</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">think of me through her </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">mother's words . . . </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">when time tightens </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">its belt and scoffs?</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">under whose</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">table tonight, maid? </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">winter deepens</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">can we see</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">each other in</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the abyss</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">people make to</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">hide their feelings?</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> <br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> heavy rain . . .</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">clouds towing the moon</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">through darkness</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> sanguine,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">the woman dancing</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">outside</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">a mission with a</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">stained glass grin</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> jack fruit moon . . . </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">old men sucking </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">shrimp heads </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i look for</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the old flower</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">seller </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">inside the breath</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of a still-borne moon</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> molina street . . . </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the parade of women</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">saved for dreams</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">i taste</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the words i splayed</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">yesterday</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">on a pier covered</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">with pink scales</span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9CeRASf19_9kpr6uWk0EJcg3-yEKblHoFBkYz32dDkPZdcnr-PWC2ykzqbTrPEbPkpuZsfIrWW9eu4xzXrKPHZJwpQfBQsvTdqbmmUiSWurw8EHQZZZ8qRR27UK6CeilZzbnlsSSTAIE/s1600/towhomshalliturn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9CeRASf19_9kpr6uWk0EJcg3-yEKblHoFBkYz32dDkPZdcnr-PWC2ykzqbTrPEbPkpuZsfIrWW9eu4xzXrKPHZJwpQfBQsvTdqbmmUiSWurw8EHQZZZ8qRR27UK6CeilZzbnlsSSTAIE/s640/towhomshalliturn.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">at last, a</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">trail to your house . . . </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">winter moon</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">birdsong . . .</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">where were you last</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">last year</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">when the tethers </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">of heat held fast?</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">thank you, moon . . .</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">for the breath to</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">stir blossoms</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> dragon,</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">only you and i </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">know the</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">madness i've harbored</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">inside your crawl</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a monsoon?</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">so quickly you answer</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">me, dragon</span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">we eat </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">from the same plate . . . </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">calloused hands </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">plucking snails from</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">circus mirrors</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> twilight . . . </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a blind man wrestling</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">with leaves</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in the </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">charity ward, i too </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">talk to </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">cockroaches </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in two feet of water</span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">beneath the</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">sink, a mouse praying</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in tongues</span></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">somewhere </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> a rice paddy asking . . .</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">whispers</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span><br />
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> autumn evening . . .</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the space between each shell,</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">a deafening quiet</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">For three weeks straight, during the TET Offensive in 1968, the</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Viet Cong lobbed one mortar after another onto our Base in Dong</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Tam. The attacks occurred late at night and early in the morning.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Needless to say, sleep wasnʼt something we got a lot of. The</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">enemy attacked five to seven times an evening. Erratically timed,</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">we never knew when to expect an attack. We just knew that they</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">would come.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">When the mortars came, they came with a vengeance. We were</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">sitting ducks. There was no way of anticipating where they would</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">land. It was a dice game with no winners.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">It was the deafening quiet between each mortar that I remember</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the most. I couldnʼt relax. I couldnʼt do anything but hope and</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">pray that my name wasnʼt on one of the incoming shells. Wide-eyed </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">like a deer staring at a carʼs headlights, Iʼd stare out at the</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">bay and wait. Every night. Every morning. Death taunted us. Our</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">imaginations, larger than life. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">We were the hunted, unable to see the hunter.</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Base morale sunk to an all time low. We grew tired, antsy, unsure</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">of our futures. Bridges to all roads leading to our Base were wiped</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">out. Mail could not be delivered. We were cut off from our families, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">our linkline to sanity. Supplies didnʼt get to us. Our dreams </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">put on hold.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
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<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the memories I</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">brought home that winter,</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">didnʼt turn off</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">I envy those who have never fought in a war. They arenʼt haunted</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">by the memories those of us who have served in a war have. War is</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">glorified in the movie theaters and on television. Gore and violence</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">sells. It also desensitizes people. As a child, I watched my fair share</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">of violence on screen. Then I went to the Republic of South Vietnam.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Suddenly, what I saw on the screen was more than acting. I</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">was center stage. Doing live theater. Real bullets. Real rockets. Real </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">mortars. Real people dropping dead. Real blood. Real fear. And just </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">18 years of age.</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">When I returned, I did what many did when they returned from the</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">war. I tried to forget what I saw and experienced. And to no avail.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Drugs and alcohol couldnʼt erase the memories. Certain things a person </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">can never forget. The horrors of war is one of them. I exchanged </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">a cap and gown for jungle fatigues. So did thousands of others. We </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">saw, we experienced, we felt, and were changed forever. There were </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">no ticker tape parades to welcome us home. Some thanked us. Others </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">cursed us. In Washington D.C. there is a monument to honor the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">memory of Vietnam War veterans. The same Washington D.C. that </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">later said our participation in the War was a mistake.</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">War continues to haunt and ravage the world, leaving a trail of blood </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">and ruined lives in its wake. War is not glorious. It is real. Too real.</span></span></div>
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<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> autumn evening . . .</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the space between each shell,</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">a deafening quiet</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">For three weeks straight, during the TET Offensive in 1968, the</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Viet Cong lobbed one mortar after another onto our Base in Dong</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Tam. The attacks occurred late at night and early in the morning.</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Needless to say, sleep wasnʼt something we got a lot of. The</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">enemy attacked five to seven times an evening. Erratically timed,</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">we never knew when to expect an attack. We just knew that they</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">would come.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">When the mortars came, they came with a vengeance. We were</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">sitting ducks. There was no way of anticipating where they would</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">land. It was a dice game with no winners. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">It was the deafening quiet between each mortar that I remember </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">the most. I couldnʼt relax. I couldnʼt do anything but hope and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">pray that my name wasnʼt on one of the incoming shells. Wide-eyed </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">like a deer staring at a carʼs headlights, Iʼd stare out at the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">bay and wait. Every night. Every morning. Death taunted us. Our </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">imaginations, larger than life.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">We were the hunted, unable to see the hunter.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Base morale sunk to an all time low. We grew tired, antsy, unsure</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">of our futures. Bridges to all roads leading to our Base were wiped</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">out. Mail could not be delivered. We were cut off from our families, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">our linkline to sanity. Supplies didnʼt get to us. Our dreams </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">put on hold.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">tunnels everywhere ...</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">not a seasonal worker,</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the dragon</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">For a thousand years, Vietnam was at war. The Vietnam War was one of </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">many wars. For centuries, outsiders have trampled on her soil, raping her </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">of her natural resources. Originally, Vietnam was a single nation. Later, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">it was partitioned by the French into two nations. At the end of the Vietnam </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">War, the two nations became one again.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Exploited and poor economically, the Vietnamese people didnʼt have the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">wherewithal to fight conventionally, nor did they have the resources their </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">conquerors had. The one thing they did have, however, was patience, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">and vision. They knew they couldnʼt rid themselves of their conquerorʼs </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">yokes overnight. It would take time and sacrifice. Decades turned into </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">centuries. Thousands of lives were lost. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">Throughout the years, Vietnamese guerilla army units dug an elaborate </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">system of tunnels under the earth, many of them interconnected. They </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">used the tunnels to house hospitals, armories, soldiers, supplies, and other </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">necessities. Some of the tunnels were multilayered, burrowing deep </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">into the ground. The Chinese, Japanese, French, and American armed </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">forces knew of their existence but had no idea how many there were nor </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">the vastness of its reach.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">During the Vietnam War, we were unable to pluck the enemy from its </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">lair, no matter how many bombs were dropped and villages raided. After </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">every attack, the Viet Cong would reemerge, seemingly invincible. The </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">enemy refused to be conquered. Because they were born there, the Viet </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">Cong knew the land better than their attackers. They dug, they hibernated, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">and they waited. Their patience paid off. The little dragon defeated </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">its enemies in 1975. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">Unfortunately, the little dragon today has become </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">the domesticated pet of a political system heavily influenced by a former </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">conqueror, The Peopleʼs Republic of China. I remember the old South </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">Vietnamese farmer who told me that he didnʼt want the U.S. in Vietnam, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">nor the Chinese influenced Communists. He wanted to be left alone to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">farm and govern his own destiny. The cycle continues.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">louder than the parrot</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the soldier in the field</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">drinking beer</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Americans by nature are a loud lot. In comparison, the Vietnamese</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">people are softspoken and rarely raise their voice. It is </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">considered rude to yell or speak loudly. This is due in part to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">the Buddhist influence. Many times I walked through villages </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">in the Mekong Delta. Always it was a peaceful experience. No </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">loud music, no screaming kids, blaring television sets, boisterous drunks; the</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">air permeated with the soft whisper of woman doing chores,</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">children playing, animals grazing, and the fluttering of banana</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">leaves.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">A lot of U.S. soldiers drank heavily. This is not uncommon in a war</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">zone. Unfortunately, the use of alcohol erases all inhibitions. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">This made for loud voices, aggressive behavior, and a lack of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">moral restraint. Several of my buddies drank themselves drunk </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">on weekend leave. Their voices pierced the quiet countryside; </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-size: large;">their frustration, fear, and prejudices magnified tenfold.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">They became obnoxious, disrespectful, and grabbed at passing</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">women with sexual abandon, oblivious to their complaints.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">They were armed, the women were not. The only police in the</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">village were South Vietnamese Army guards who didnʼt want to</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">make waves. Unrestrained, the drunken soldiers did what they</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">pleased.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">. . . until next week . . .</span></div>
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robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-80072847828906739882011-06-16T13:18:00.001+08:002011-08-10T09:41:00.909+08:00# 25<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Robert D. Wilson's</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">what are</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> seasons to a city . . . </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">without stars?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"Remember our brothers and sisters in Japan."</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">To CELEBRATE the NOW</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I will send anyone who asks,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a FREE pdf COPY of my book,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">JACK FRUIT MOON.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I believe that poetry belongs to</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the people and not just to those </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">who can afford the high price of</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">ordering books overseas and the</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">hefty S&H costs.</span></div>
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<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">does she hear </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the music she dances</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">to at dawn . . .</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the cries of her baby</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">sandwiched between tin?</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
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<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">polling through</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">dense fog; oarsman</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">or foe?</span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">the rustle of </span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">egrets dreaming</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> her eyes . . . </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">watching a crow</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">deconstruct!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">slithering</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">through her tonight, </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">a rainbow</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">colored dragon </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">caught between mirrors</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> autumn night . . . </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">my imagination</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">stirring stars</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">i dive</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">again into the</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">dragon's dreams</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">looking for the </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">you i never left</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">swimming through</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> heaven's river . . . </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the quiet!</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">i almost</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">forgot you the day</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">i laid in</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">vomit thinking i was </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">on to something new</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> late winter . . . </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the echos that</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">aren't there</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> the wind sings </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">through me in a high </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> soprano . . . </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">if only i could be</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">made to laugh again</span></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">comets streak</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> below the dock . . . </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">incoming tide</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">i walk into</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">this poem sated</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">with sadness</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">knowing children</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">sleep on sidewalks</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> almost spring . . .</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">sharing my bed with</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">cockroaches</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">looking at</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the world through a straw</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> used before . . . </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">a vendor's child</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">sipping day dreams</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> swirling winds . . . </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">my mind floating in a</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">lid-less toilet</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">where will you</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">take me next when</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the winds </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">change and what i </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">know turns to ash?</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">crash landing</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">on stone buddha's palm </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">. . . stillness</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> scattered clouds . . . </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">a two year old</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">sleeps on a </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">dirty sheet of cardboard</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">beside the highway</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> hang-town sun . . . </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the blank look in </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the beggar's eyes</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i never did</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">see her face, her</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">voice weaving</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in and out of </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my cerebellum</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">rain today?</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the long ride on a bus</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">to nowhere</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">a sad dream,</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> this shopping mall . . . </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">no one</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">you know will pass</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the test of mirrors</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">what's a new</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">toy to a child</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">glued to summer?</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">go, enter</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the mirror this mall</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">is to you . . . </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">a ticket to</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the depths of hell</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">will you go</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">to school unbathed?</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">stale wind</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">want to be</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the kid no one</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">wants to sit </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">next to in school?</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">durian fruit</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">a dreamer,</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">she watches clouds </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">through tin walls</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">what happens</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">when the name you</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">once wrote</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">stumbles down the</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">street with glazed eyes</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the heat </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> framing your lips . .. .</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">dancing moon</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">nearing spring . . . </span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a half dressed moon</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sipping brandy</span></span></div>
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<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">from the</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">jeepney's window</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">bored bargirls</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">talking to their children</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">on cell phone phalluses</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
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<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> summer moon . . .</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">you held me like it</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">was winter</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">i want to</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">kiss you again</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">under the </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">table when avocados</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">aren't in season</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">draw me in</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">your dreams, when</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">summer coughs</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">he sips mango</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">juice with an under</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">aged girl</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">he'll only see</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">again in dreams</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the eggplant </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">tonight, and the kiss </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">we both wanted</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">sipping</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">mango juice under a</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">microscope . . . </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">i think of the med student</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">with worn out shoes</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">in a world </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">of talking tables . . .</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">our words</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">driving through</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">you into a painting</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">of winter . . .</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">gessoed with</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">carbine monoxide</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">frida kahlo</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">turned up</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">the </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">other day</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">on </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">a</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">POSTAGE STAMP</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">made in</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">AMERICA</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">her brush</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">smiling</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">remembering</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">when </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">Henry Ford</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">painted over</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">her husband,</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">diego rivera's</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">mural</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">he'd</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">commissioned</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">to </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">CELEBRATE</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">labor</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">because </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">it</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">included</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">a picture</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">of</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">a</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">COMMUNIST</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">and</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">heaven help </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">THE WORLD</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">if</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">a commie</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">stared at them</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">later</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">from </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">a</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">POSTAGE STAMP</span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">robert d. wilson</span> <br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">no one told</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">me my brain would</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">explode</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">when i returned home</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">from the dragon's nest</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the sky rained rockets</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that lanternless night --</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">umbrellas useless</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The whistle of an incoming rocket. It came when we</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">least expected it to. A shrill, airy whistle not unlike the</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sound emitted by skyrockets at a fireworks show. As the</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sound grew louder, the muscles in our bodies tightened;</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">our nerves tensed. We dove for cover and prayed that it</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">didnʼt have our names on it. When it exploded, deadly</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">shrapnel (chards of sharp metal) shot out like tiny bullets,</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cutting a murderous path. This was in addition to the</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">crater the explosion created. When the sky rained rockets,</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">no one was safe.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">swallowed by </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> the earth </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">this autumn day . . . </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">dreams undreamt</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thousands of people died in the Vietnam War. Not all of the dead </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">were soldiers. Many were innocent civilians. People with no axe to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">grind. No political goal to fulfill. Men, women, and children who </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Their lives snuffed out </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">by napalm, bombs, hand grenades, mortars, rockets, automatic rifle-</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">fire, knives, and human hands. There are no shiny black memorials </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to commemorate their existence and the sacrifice they made. Their </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">dreams, their hopes, their aspirations relegated to what could have </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">been. And for what? A war, Americaʼs leaders now say, should not </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">have been. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The memory of these people should not be forgotten.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyrxuyAhOOWT6BisB-l2fqm5DpkBUelReBRMyk-fq6gaaqcFiOFeBWSjWsZa31w65SSdjrtDH_4O48Krar146HYoODvruOtCoC-9ElSiwmwHevidKr5FZDsaS8gSEaP5tWHRLW8z-qeE/s1600/death%252Cbirth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyrxuyAhOOWT6BisB-l2fqm5DpkBUelReBRMyk-fq6gaaqcFiOFeBWSjWsZa31w65SSdjrtDH_4O48Krar146HYoODvruOtCoC-9ElSiwmwHevidKr5FZDsaS8gSEaP5tWHRLW8z-qeE/s640/death%252Cbirth.jpg" width="638" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">forced to shoot </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">others, </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">this manchild, one year</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">a thousand summers</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Nothing changes a young teenager quicker than when he is forced to </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">kill another human being. Young boys were drafted into the Vietnam </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">War right after graduation from high school. At eighteen, their lives </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">had centered around going to school, playing sports, courting girls, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">helping out at home, and other youthful pursuits. Overnight, they </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">were transported across the ocean to a foreign land where they were </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">armed with automatic rifles (machine guns) and told to shoot the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">enemy if attacked. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had a friend who was forced to shoot a nine year </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">old girl who charged at him with a hand grenade. He told me it was</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the most horrible thing he ever had to do, killing a little child. But </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">as he told me, “What else could I do? It was kill or be killed.” </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">taking of a human life changes a person forever. Gone is the innocence </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">of youth, the naivete of adolescence. Some soldiers had to kill </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">others on a daily basis, witnessing some of the most gruesome sights </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">imaginable. Psychologically, of course, it took its toll. Some of my </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">friends had glazed over eyes. Others drank or drugged themselves </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">to oblivion on a nightly basis. Others I know are plagued even today </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">by horrendous dreams of what they experienced and saw during their </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">stay in South Vietnam.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">The sad thing is, when we returned stateside, after completing our </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">tour of duty, few of us received counseling. After discharge, we were </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">sent back into the civilian world, emotionally dysfunctional. Drug </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">addiction, alcoholism, and post traumatic stress syndrome laid waste to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">many of my fellow servicemen. I too, went through hell and back. It </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">was only through years of counseling and spiritual journeying that I</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">was able to rise up from the chasm of self destruction and reoccurring </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">spectres to a headspace where I openly face the dragon that followed me home. And yet . . . </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I feel like Don Quixote, battling windmills, surrounded by a thousand mirrors,</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">the nightmare refusing to let go; peace of mind a bad joke</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">my brothers at the VA medical clinic have heard over and over and over again.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> summer's end . . .</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> those children screaming in</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the dragonʼs belly</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">More than once, I was invited to have supper with a South Vietnamese family. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The families I dined with were not rich. Most barely eked out a living. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The meals they served my friends and I, however, were second to none, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">usually consisting of rice, shrimp, a kale-like vegetable, and dessert. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">meals were delicious and abundant. Better than the food, however, was the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">hospitality. Our hosts treated us like visiting royalty, insisting we eat more, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">giving us the best seats, continually asking us if we wanted refi lls for our </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">sodas. The South Vietnamese people are some of the nicest, most considerate </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">people on this planet.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">The Viet Cong were everywhere, especially in the Mekong Delta region </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">where I was stationed. Those who offered hospitality to American servicemen, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">paid a high price for their generosity. Sooner or later, they would be </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">tortured, killed, or forced to serve as spies by the VC. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Communists were </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">merciless with those who sympathized with the American war effort. I have </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">seen their handiwork first hand. Backs with burn marks and horrible bruises. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Backs that had been brutally beat. And that wasnʼt the worst. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our guests gave to us and asked for nothing in return. Never once did they </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">pump us for information. They gave because that was who they were ... </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">generous, giving people. We, supposedly, were in South Vietnam to help and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">protect the people from the evils of Communism. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our presence in the war </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">gave many a false hope. A hope for a day when they too could be free from </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">war and poverty.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">The United States left Vietnam in 1975, withdrawing from a war that </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">claimed an excessive amount of human lives. The Republic of South Vietnam</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">ʼs government was toppled instantaneously by the North Vietnamese </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">armed forces. What happened next to those who helped the American war</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">effort was not a pretty scene. </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Thousands were killed. Thousands were tortured. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Others were forced to attend reeducation camps. A Vietnamese friend</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">of mine who later managed to escape from Vietnam as a boat person with his </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">extended family, told me of former South Vietnamese policemen who were </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">tied spread eagle in his villageʼs square and hideously tortured as an example</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">for all to see. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Do we, who served in the Vietnam War, ever think about our hosts today? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Are we concerned about the welfare of the Vietnamese people we were formerly </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">charged to protect?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">odd,</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">a jasmine flower</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">in hellʼs bosom</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">The former Republic of South Vietnam was an enigma for those of </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">us who fought there during the war. It was a mixture of heaven and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">hell. Hell, because of the war. A war that forever changed our lives, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">took away our innocence, and left us with emotional scars that will </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">haunt us until we die. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The sights and sounds of that war are not the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">kind that go away. We saw and experienced things at a young age</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">no young person should have to see or experience: unfathomable </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">horror. Bleak loneliness. And a fear that leaves you numb for days </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">afterwards. We were sent to the battlefields without psychological </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">preparation. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And when we returned Stateside, most of us were</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">denied counseling. </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Republic of South Vietnam was also heaven. Heaven, because </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">it is one of the most beautiful places on earth, bar none. I was stationed </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">in the Mekong Delta region, a rich rainforest laced with intersecting </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">rivers and waterways. It was like living inside a National </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Geographic Magazine centerspread. There were tall palm trees, lush</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">green foliage, beautiful fl owers, exotic animals, and much more. A </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">nature photographerʼs dream come true.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">A touch of Hell. A touch of Heaven.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> papa . . .</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">you didnʼt show me how to</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">plow the field</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Children lost their fathers during the Vietn am War. Some lost their </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">mothers. On both sides. Lessons untaught. Examples unlearned. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lives scarred by anger, loneliness, and the absence of a primary </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">role model. One day, a parent is there. The next day, he or she is </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">not. War shows no mercy, no preference. People die. Families are </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">torn apart. We must not forget this. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I long for a day, idealistic me, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">when war is no longer a reality. I saw firsthand, the ravages of war. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Soldiers and civilians were shot, maimed, and psychologically </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">scarred for life. Over a million lives needlessly erased from this </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">earth. And for what? Oil? Tungsten? Rubber? Power? Where were </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">the politicianʼs sons and daughters during the war?</span></div>
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"THAT'S ALL UNTIL MY NEXT </div>
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POSTING IN A WEEK OR SO."</div>
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twilight dawn . . .</div>
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an old man talking to</div>
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robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-45699120474579526082011-06-02T22:13:00.002+08:002011-08-10T09:41:22.464+08:00# 24<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">without</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the moon, a sea laden</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with why</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> dry grass . . .</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">breast fed by a sliver</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of moon</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in the rice </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">field, singing to</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> her stomach . . . </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">an arched bridge</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with the same shadow</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> a long night . . .</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a quiet without</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hammers</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">they hide in</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">each other's shadows</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and when it </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rains, a thousand</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">more like them</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> noon heat . . . </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a dog licks</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">his penus </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">from my chest</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a thousand breaths</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">each of them</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">attached to a carousel</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">horse painted green</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span><br />
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">baklas</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">bumping into</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my wife</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">seeing with hands</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">what they hoped to steal</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 16.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 16.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> last night . . . </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a bar girl carries me</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to the moon</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 16.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 16.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a lot of</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">today's haiku</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">reminds me </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of a can of soup . . . </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">painted by warhol</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 16.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 16.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> sunday . . .</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a poor man chasing</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">roosters</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Tahoma; line-height: 16.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 16.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> morning cool . .. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the heat of walking</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">past gravestones</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">grasping for ghosts</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">whispering never</span></span></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2-kgJ9Cskm63L8njo6O4TP8AwCdCCh4IMi44i6GwZjLzaCTnmuOnGlDUfYzlUlqk7XbEOcbG6sTO8YOgM0gf-LPjAo55vRSBgaGWh9QoGtVI6_ZA8lNOB-WKe12mJQxTU2OUBZ0b_h0/s1600/flashback1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc2-kgJ9Cskm63L8njo6O4TP8AwCdCCh4IMi44i6GwZjLzaCTnmuOnGlDUfYzlUlqk7XbEOcbG6sTO8YOgM0gf-LPjAo55vRSBgaGWh9QoGtVI6_ZA8lNOB-WKe12mJQxTU2OUBZ0b_h0/s640/flashback1.jpg" width="428" /></a></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">she was</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a child that night,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">folding</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">flashbacks into</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">eucalyptus pods</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">your whisper</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this morning, scenting</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">blossoms</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">she sees more</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">than shadows washing</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">laundry with</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with rats on my </span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ex-wife's back porch</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">your tongue,</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">catfish, probing . . .</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sketches</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">manic,</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this man writing </span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">poetry</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in a locked room</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with stuffed animals</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; line-height: 15.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; line-height: 15.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> moonless night . . . </span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; line-height: 15.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">shadows sleeping</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; line-height: 15.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with shadows</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; line-height: 15.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; line-height: 15.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 13.0px; text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; line-height: 15.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; line-height: 15.0px; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: normal;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">she looked</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">surprised when i</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">looked at her</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">in front of a shanty</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">made of tin men</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> late morning . . .</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and still the taho</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">vendor' cry</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">looking at</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">mount Makeling </span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">yesterday,</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">soothed what is left </span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of the beast in me</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i dreamt</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a tilapia asked </span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">me to let her go</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">years ago,</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i heard your belly</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> rumble . . . </span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the fire inside </span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">you, an altar</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPePTfYPA7WQhyphenhyphenOHqjtKjGXIKusf8o3abNS9dbuvgacphAiUhYfAzpYw4SBQE-OThMTNEBtaYS0QHlpukptv0qYCBIUrmoGtH9uhGPHz2raOu8nre2lMUIM488ZsxyFPwlOrAYyxx4e70/s1600/tomorrow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPePTfYPA7WQhyphenhyphenOHqjtKjGXIKusf8o3abNS9dbuvgacphAiUhYfAzpYw4SBQE-OThMTNEBtaYS0QHlpukptv0qYCBIUrmoGtH9uhGPHz2raOu8nre2lMUIM488ZsxyFPwlOrAYyxx4e70/s640/tomorrow.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">an anenome,</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">she swallows him with</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> a dance . . . </span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the boulevard lined</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with christmas lights</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">male toads . . .</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the hoarse song of</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">not knowing</span></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">jeepneys flee</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the unrelenting grasp</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of summer . . .</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">twirling in circles,</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a GRO painting shadows</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">just a child</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this girl watching </span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">passersby</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">what goes through</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">her mind escorting fat </span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">men into hell . . . </span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a young boy taps me on</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the arm, begging for pesos</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tyCOLfEPpuIQ-ryBxcGQAr0WRZYbRf2QcgpNsFMxc5N4kTX2k_YyzVaBWl5GBRO5j9ajvOdm8TYupKmt4aMsAGT-YCyIM5Vdv7oW9QmPjZKSlD4DQh2_l29qSMtFIAx4FCPCr29Wbmg/s1600/carabaogirl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tyCOLfEPpuIQ-ryBxcGQAr0WRZYbRf2QcgpNsFMxc5N4kTX2k_YyzVaBWl5GBRO5j9ajvOdm8TYupKmt4aMsAGT-YCyIM5Vdv7oW9QmPjZKSlD4DQh2_l29qSMtFIAx4FCPCr29Wbmg/s640/carabaogirl.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> winter heat . . .</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">young boys scavenge</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">through refuse</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">still trapped in</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a world i didn't</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ask for . . .</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the dragon wagging</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">her long tail</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> day moon . . .</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i wasn't brave enough</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to ask her</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">will the</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">lizard eating</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a live bird</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">inherit its soul?</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ill fitting sandals</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> noon whistle . . . </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">trees searching </span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for winter</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it's the</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">unseen sculpting </span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">me into </span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">what you least suspect . . . </span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a pebble washed by waves</span></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"accompanied by blues harmonica in the key of D"</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">goodbye?<br />
as if you'd<br />
miss me,<br />
an illusion<br />
painted<br />
on a scrap<br />
of<br />
newspaper,<br />
a wino<br />
used to wrap<br />
his lover in<br />
<br />
orphan<br />
annie eyed<br />
drones<br />
carry<br />
ciclid shells<br />
to<br />
angry wives<br />
watching<br />
soaps<br />
before noon . . .<br />
mites<br />
tap dance<br />
on their bellies<br />
with no sense<br />
of time . . .<br />
<br />
Worn out<br />
swatch band . . .<br />
your reflection<br />
underneath<br />
an </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">old bridge,<br />
undulating<br />
sensuously,<br />
pulling you<br />
deeper<br />
into<br />
the canvas<br />
hanging<br />
above<br />
your<br />
cardboard bed . . .<br />
waving to<br />
the dreams<br />
I have of<br />
you</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">robert d. wilson</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">tell you</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">about the war?</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">monks on fire . . .</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">summersaulting minds</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">and dragons</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YAVSRebpft8C3bc8iJhlmnN6ranRMmZWdxLlmnqINez8_InYZjQ6THkRLBgqw14x1veCYTWcz-FhN498Pp81YEx6Bp97UPolmK9UgfzI0aGL6eUv5HYDPxITcb9SjLFwBfnfBxBCp3c/s1600/VRmaggots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2YAVSRebpft8C3bc8iJhlmnN6ranRMmZWdxLlmnqINez8_InYZjQ6THkRLBgqw14x1veCYTWcz-FhN498Pp81YEx6Bp97UPolmK9UgfzI0aGL6eUv5HYDPxITcb9SjLFwBfnfBxBCp3c/s1600/VRmaggots.jpg" /></a></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">harvest moon . . .</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">soldiers filling</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">body bags</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">silly men,</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you fed the fish</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with yourselves</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It was like a dream. The moon was full. The faint sound of singing</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">awakened me. I peered out the leeside portal of our sleeping quarters on</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the YRBM-17 and saw two drunken sailors walking arm in arm towards</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the water on a dock that ran perpendicular to our barge. It was about</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">two in the morning. The two men were singing a country western song.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I remember coughing. I always blink when I cough. The drunken sailors</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">were gone. The next morning at chow, a sailor told me the drunken</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">seamen walked off the dock and drowned. Most of those I served with in</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Vietnam were ill prepared to fi ght a war they didnʼt understand. A tour of</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">duty was one year.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">They were lonely. The culture was foreign. The pay was minimal. Unlike</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">those who served in past wars, those serving in South Vietnam were</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">afforded no honor for their participation in the war. Servicemen drank,</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">smoked marijuana, or prayed.</span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">summer of summers --</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">swallowed up by the</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">dragon, too many lives</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The dragon never slumbers. He has been awake for over a thousand</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">years, eating soldiers and civilians alike. In his wake, a trail</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of bones. If only they could speak</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">summer breeze . . . </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">letters from home paint over</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">now with some day</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Most of us were away from our families for the first time. We were</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">separated from our families and the neighborhoods we grew up in. We</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">were stationed in a country on the other side of the world with a culture</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">completely foreign to our way of seeing life. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">There are no certainties </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in war. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It's a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">crap shoot. Maybe </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">youʼll make it home. Maybe you </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wonʼt. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">reality never strays far </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">from a soldierʼs mind. We were </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">isolated from </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">our families, our culture,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and the world as we knew it. </span></span></span></div>
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</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I was 18 years old and newly graduated </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">from high school. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I never </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">knew how much I loved my family until I </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">was away from them </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">living in a war zone. Suddenly, they were the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">most valuable thing </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in my life. I lived and died for letters and packages </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">from home. In </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">spare</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> time, Iʼd daydream about my family, fiance, and friends.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Thinking about them was what gave me hope </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and kept me going. </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">That </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">“some day," needless to say, mail-call, was a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">major event.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">swallowed by </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the earth, this autumn day . . . </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">dreams undreamt</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Thousands of people died in the Vietnam War. Not all of the dead</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">were soldiers. Many were innocent civilians. People with no axe to</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">grind. No political goal to fulfill. Men, women, and children who</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Their lives snuffed out</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">by napalm, bombs, hand grenades, mortars, rockets, automatic rifle</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">fire, knives, and human hands. There are no shiny black memorials</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to commemorate their existence, and the sacrifice they made. Their</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dreams, their hopes, their aspirations, relegated to what could have</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">been. And for what? A war, Americaʼs leaders now say, shouldn't</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">have been.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The memory of these people should not be forgotten.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it didnʼt have to</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">happen, this rice field</span></span></div>
<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">devoured by pests</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In Vietnam, veneration of the elderly is a way of life. It's ingrained</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in the culture. Showing respect to those older than themselves is a</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">time honored tradition. Disrespect is taboo, even to an older brother or</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sister.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Heavily armed American soldiers, barely out of high school, often</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">went into South Vietnamese villages. Sometimes they were passing</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">through. Other times, they were searching for the enemy. Older people</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">were ordered around by many of these young men. Disrespect was</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rampant. My country was supposedly in South Vietnam because we</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cared about the nationʼs well-being. In reality, we were there to protect</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">our economic interests. We knew little or nothing about the people we</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">were charged to protect. Our treatment of South Vietnamese civilians</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">furthered the cause of Communism and helped bring about the fall of</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the South Vietnamese Government.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I liken this disrespect to the pests that devour a rice field. Once a</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">pest is introduced to a rice paddy, unless it's eradicated immediately,</span></span></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">it will reek havoc to the planted rice, and destroy the crop. Had we</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">supplemented our warrior spirit with love, caring, and respect, maybe</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the war would have ended differently. This is the first war the United</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">States lost. So many servicemen died. It didnʼt have to happen.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">summer night --</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a headless soldier</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on the beach</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A soldier stationed on our base in Dong Tam snuck across the</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">canal bordering our facility to have sex with one of the local</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">girls living on the canalʼs banks. This was an unsecured area</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">known to harbor Viet Cong and was off limits to Base personnel.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">He did not return to his bunk that night. In the morning,</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a Navy patrol boat saw what was left of the soldier laying on a</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">beach beside the canal. He had been decapitated. His head was</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">placed in a slit in his stomach along with his genitals. Whether</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">or not the grizzly scene was the work of a disgruntled parent or</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the Viet Cong, was never answered.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">lanternless night,</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">bamboo stakes, dipped in excrement,</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">wait for brown boots</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Boobytraps killed and maimed thousands of American servicemen</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">during the Vietnam War. The Viet Cong had limited supplies and</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">money. One thing they didnʼt lack in, however, was ingenuity. They</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">were able to fashion boobytraps out of almost anything. One of</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the most lethal of their boobytraps was the punji stake. Concealed</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">underwater in rice paddies and beneath jungle foliage, they were</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">crudely made bamboo stakes dipped in animal excrement. When</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an unsuspecting soldier stepped on one, the razor sharp point of the</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">bamboo stake would pierce his foot. The animal excrement guaranteed</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">immediate infection. Soldiers on patrol in the jungle were</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">far from hospitals and infi rmaries. Especially those deep in enemy</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">territory, experiencing day to day combat. If improperly treated,</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">gangegreen would set in, eventually necessitating the removal of the</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">infected soldierʼs foot or leg. The pain from the wounds were excruciating.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">They were the lucky ones. When fired at by the enemy in a</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">boobytrapped rice paddy, soldiers instinctively dove for cover. Some</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of them landed on punji stakes, ripping open their stomachs, chests,</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">or bowels. Death soon followed.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">forced to shoot </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">others this manchild, one year</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a thousand summers</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Nothing changes a young teenager quicker than when he is forced to</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">kill another human being. Young boys were drafted into the Vietnam</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">War right after graduation from high school. At eighteen, their lives</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">had centered around going to school, playing sports, courting girls,</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">helping out at home, and other youthful pursuits. Overnight, they</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">were transported across the ocean to a foreign land where they were</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">armed with automatic rifles (machine guns) and told to shoot the</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">enemy if attacked. I had a friend who was forced to shoot a nine year</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">old girl who charged at him with a hand grenade. He told me it was</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the most horrible thing he ever had to do, killing a little child. But</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">as he told me, “What else could I do? It was kill or be killed.” </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">taking of a human life changes a person forever. Gone is the </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">innocence </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of youth, the naivete of adolescence. Some soldiers had to </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">kill </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">others on a daily basis, witnessing some of the most gruesome </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sights </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">imaginable. Psychologically, of course, it took its toll. Some </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of my </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">friends had glazed over eyes. Others drunk or drugged </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">themselves </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to oblivion on a nightly basis. Others I know are plagued </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">even today </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">by horrendous dreams of what they experienced and </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">saw during their </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stay in South Vietnam. This includes me.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The sad thing is, when we returned stateside, after completing our</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tour of duty, few of us received counseling. After discharge, we were</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sent back into the civilian world, emotionally dysfunctional. Drug</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">addiction, alcoholism, and post traumatic syndrome laid waste to</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">many of my fellow servicemen. I too, went through hell and back. It</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">was only through years of counseling and spiritual journeying that I</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">was able to rise up from the chasm of self destruction and reoccurring</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">spectres to a headspace today that gives me peace of mind and</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">inner happiness.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">summer has ended --</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">what are they to you, these people</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in the dragonʼs belly?</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">More than once, I was invited to have supper with a South Vietnamese </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">family. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The families I dined with were not rich. Most barely eked out a living.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The meals they served my friends and I, however, were second to none,</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">usually consisting of rice, shrimp, a kale-like vegetable, and dessert. The</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">meals were delicious and abundant. Better than the food, however, was the</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">hospitality. Our hosts treated us like visiting royalty, insisting we eat more,</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">giving us the best seats, continually asking us if we wanted refi lls for our</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sodas. The South Vietnamese people are some of the nicest, most considerate</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">people on this planet.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Viet Cong were everywhere, especially in the Mekong Delta region</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">where I was stationed. Those who offered hospitality to American servicemen,</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">paid a high price for their generosity. Sooner or later, they would be</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tortured, killed, or forced to serve as spies by the VC. The Communists were</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">merciless with those who sympathized with the American war effort. I have</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">seen their handiwork first hand. Backs with burn marks and horrible bruises.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Backs that had been brutally beat. And that wasnʼt the worst.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Our guests gave to us and asked for nothing in return. Never once did they</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">pump us for information. They gave because that was who they were...</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">generous, giving people. We, supposedly, were in South Vietnam to help and</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">protect the people from the evils of Communism. Our presence in the war</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">gave many a false hope. A hope for a day when they too could be free from</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">war and poverty.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The United States left Vietnam in 1975, withdrawing from a war that</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">claimed an excessive amount of human lives. The Republic of South Vietnam's</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> government was toppled instantaneously by the North Vietnamese armed</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">forces. What happened next to those who helped the American war</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">effort was not a pretty scene. Thousands were killed. Thousands were tortured.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Others were forced to attend reeducation camps. A Vietnamese friend</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of mine who later managed to escape from Vietnam as a boat person with his</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">extended family, told me of former South Vietnamese policemen who were</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tied spread eagle in his villageʼs square and hideously tortured as an example</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">for all to see.</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Do we, who served in the Vietnam War, ever think about our hosts today?</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Are we concerned about the welfare of the Vietnamese people we were formerly</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">charged to protect?</span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">That's all for now. Enjoy!</span></span></span></div>
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robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-37307402644099121782011-03-28T15:02:00.006+08:002011-03-31T17:02:13.210+08:00# 16<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Robert D. Wilson's</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJV4OM5bsSxqUmVaATELL2AZUcoLtYJlKu_fBGbJlv3M5kJmrzQy_0Lpy67OgiyMzH7DDHlmMg7HH7Is4Bud4bMv7JPXV2_dDKFBwGkWzpq_QrE8KssKb66vzYAuZo51xUekwDAfoRWcY/s1600/lousymirrorbanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJV4OM5bsSxqUmVaATELL2AZUcoLtYJlKu_fBGbJlv3M5kJmrzQy_0Lpy67OgiyMzH7DDHlmMg7HH7Is4Bud4bMv7JPXV2_dDKFBwGkWzpq_QrE8KssKb66vzYAuZo51xUekwDAfoRWcY/s400/lousymirrorbanner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A library Collection of over 3 decades </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">of innovative and evocative poetry </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and haiga art. Wilson is Co-founder </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and Co-owner of SIMPLY HAIKU, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and the author of Jack Fruit Moon, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Late For Mass, Tanka Fields, And </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sanity Scurried, and Vietnam </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ruminations.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSeQuisvc63sXd1Q7APfXLbOdnelz93DVmQ2KTFpBNcpsQcFSVhBtFw_radOZR11hcfXT4oQ-BzGBc7u75nbqEofRNryPw-IImC-x85Gd_KoPWamaTcnDRhR93tI8AU4xkbUhu57k-ko/s1600/newmoi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPSeQuisvc63sXd1Q7APfXLbOdnelz93DVmQ2KTFpBNcpsQcFSVhBtFw_radOZR11hcfXT4oQ-BzGBc7u75nbqEofRNryPw-IImC-x85Gd_KoPWamaTcnDRhR93tI8AU4xkbUhu57k-ko/s320/newmoi.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByuj9sR-fMIoucrsXnMjm8iNXZ4P7HttPnee4Z1MOt6yha1uyo-PkAYYl_PyGxIVY6wNdUm8tLo82YWuyOeRGtAkEocuVV87smusdq5W911RnGc_WsM8wcOn-RH_exh99IAWf6MZPhy8/s1600/app_full_proxy.php.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByuj9sR-fMIoucrsXnMjm8iNXZ4P7HttPnee4Z1MOt6yha1uyo-PkAYYl_PyGxIVY6wNdUm8tLo82YWuyOeRGtAkEocuVV87smusdq5W911RnGc_WsM8wcOn-RH_exh99IAWf6MZPhy8/s1600/app_full_proxy.php.png" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">day after</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">day, the dragon's</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tendrils</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">robert d. wilson</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">©2011</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJv04qxyIeYCQrMkf915AGD7CZYddLA6ak_l9Dj-XJzEtklyno5gwFl6cAad8-l_bNhXmx74bI-KEMUonBVlOATUbijIMgVOqsTG8be32UqkqKkBt4JE20qJRVLroYfw3okWtPvxEPUJ0/s1600/Alicealpha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJv04qxyIeYCQrMkf915AGD7CZYddLA6ak_l9Dj-XJzEtklyno5gwFl6cAad8-l_bNhXmx74bI-KEMUonBVlOATUbijIMgVOqsTG8be32UqkqKkBt4JE20qJRVLroYfw3okWtPvxEPUJ0/s640/Alicealpha.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the visions</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">we shared as boys</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stayed home</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when the dragon drew </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">me into his lair</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the drone </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of trikes painting </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">autumn gray</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> autumn dusk . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i walk around a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dank pond</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">laughing at the </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">moon's crooked smile</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the melody</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of a tomcat's song . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">autumn dusk</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i chew on</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on what you </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">don't say . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sandals covered </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with more than dust</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> winter heat . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the rice fields aren't</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">vacant</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">street vendors</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">suckling an asp's venom . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what to them </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">are television sets</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and family picnics?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> moonless night . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">startled by a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">jeepney's bark</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">colored lights</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on a street filled </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with inns . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sending text messages</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in-between tricks </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">broken rice </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">for lunch and dinner . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">autumn dusk</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglL4vELUuyZb9lridqIlylOZoYffnDVqRaQc90g2yKAXUkyF3txs_goAtOE-rs8SQvOMw27j0TweWpf2tFGqKwK9HTAfhPAp8veZsHT4yZm6PxC9HzG4zxKO5pjX64fTIpGFmVHkJQsqI/s1600/catfish1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglL4vELUuyZb9lridqIlylOZoYffnDVqRaQc90g2yKAXUkyF3txs_goAtOE-rs8SQvOMw27j0TweWpf2tFGqKwK9HTAfhPAp8veZsHT4yZm6PxC9HzG4zxKO5pjX64fTIpGFmVHkJQsqI/s640/catfish1.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">long hours </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in the rice field . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">she looks old</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">now,her value lower</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">than a carabao's</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">winter night . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a fawn inside me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">nursing words</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">go ahead,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">haunt me with the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">emptiness</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of eyes living</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on borrowed time</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">think of me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">as a passerby . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">autumn moon</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">seemingly</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">forever, walking</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">through tall grass . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a still life boy</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">doing penance</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when she walks</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">at dawn . . . the sun</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">gathering dew</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">was that you</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">last night, a dim figure</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">beside me . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in the morning, the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">feint scent of lilacs?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">twilight dusk ...</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">this lure of waves on a </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shoreline of stars</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">If even for</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a moment I were</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to wake up</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with you at my side . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my limbs would tremble</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">winter morning . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the same vendor in</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the same stall</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHF6tV5YDEaKoEkG5vZeNUQ9dNb55IcyIJnfJZIcpRPy_pG51nQnffG6acDvfBFeyNylCcsC0NhNBgQumTJAfz3br90LOfoXzL6c-I6bLFN5INyrJHKE8aJ1VUHzaMfdu5AtBCkmzKjtY/s1600/brownmoths1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHF6tV5YDEaKoEkG5vZeNUQ9dNb55IcyIJnfJZIcpRPy_pG51nQnffG6acDvfBFeyNylCcsC0NhNBgQumTJAfz3br90LOfoXzL6c-I6bLFN5INyrJHKE8aJ1VUHzaMfdu5AtBCkmzKjtY/s640/brownmoths1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you avoid</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">me this morning . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">is it my</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">breath or the after </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">taste of a bad dream?</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a vendor</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">molesting the rain . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">harvest moon</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">she listens</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to our conversation</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">like she would</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a newscast, the words</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">fastened to captions</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when i wake</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">up, a day moon . . .</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shedding stars</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what is it</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">that draws me to</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stilt shanties?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a love affair</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with old dragons?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">summer moon . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a carabao suckles</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">her calf</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">how can i</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sleep when worry</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">reminds me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of the children</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i can't father</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> winter heat . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">oxen licking</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">salt blocks </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">is that you</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in the spider's web . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a weak cry?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a seductive song?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Homer's sirens?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">another</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">night without sleep . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">day moon</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tell me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">it's possible </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to place you . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on a mantle with</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">mother's ashes</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4pEN3u8Y9Zml5SNgaO45ley3BIJnqFGSGYS2RciHY7CfEse17Wg-AmRruBYIICWm709RSZcDds39BOZE2t9lQm1YIRiCWSbmPOivHFE0o591aDGTBB5AdFe1A2jrEcVDucmAZbbnEtPw/s1600/surrenderalpha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4pEN3u8Y9Zml5SNgaO45ley3BIJnqFGSGYS2RciHY7CfEse17Wg-AmRruBYIICWm709RSZcDds39BOZE2t9lQm1YIRiCWSbmPOivHFE0o591aDGTBB5AdFe1A2jrEcVDucmAZbbnEtPw/s640/surrenderalpha.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">Where to go </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">when windows have </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">no panes, </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">and</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">air <i>flows</i> </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">through your lungs </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">like Phillip Morris' </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">menthol </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">kiss of death, </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">the suits </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">in Virginia</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">donating</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">the cost to </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">feed</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">a small nation's poor</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">to every</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">politician</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">who'll</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">sell their soul</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">the</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">public</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">fed lies</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">like </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">hungry goats</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">dehorned </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">corralled</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">eating weeds </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">in small spaces</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">built over</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">nuclear waste</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">sites</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">the </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">sock monkeys</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">in </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">Washington </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">Tokyo</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">London</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">Moscow</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">and</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">China</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">say</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"> are safe</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">as</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">far</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">as</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">they</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">can </div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">T</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">E</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">L</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">L</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">their homes</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">and offices</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">equipped</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">with </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">state-of-the-art</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">air purifiers</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">paid for</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">by people </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">who can't afford them</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">burping chimneys</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">belching dragons</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">made by</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">Toho Studios</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">that </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">make</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">Godzilla</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">look </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">like</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">a wind-up</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">character actor</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">who </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">hasn't stepped</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">on a building </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">for</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"> decades . . .</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">help. I'm a rock</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">help. I'm a rock</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">deformed babies</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">help, Im a rock</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">help, I'm a rock</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">emphysema </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">cancer,</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">skin disease</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">help, I'm a rock</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">help, I'm a rock</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">Fritz Lang</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">standing</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">on top</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">of</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">the</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">Empire State Building</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">shouting</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">I'm rich!</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">I'm rich!</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">I'm rich!</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><b> I'M</b></div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><b> RICH!!!!!</b></div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 18.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">robert d. wilson</div><div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">©2011</div><div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX8WsBRW0vBc-iK3frvP0_x1h2SgiEwDvKawcLlLUzbboXX-bXdJjdwx1bmNFymAajGZzk2HYOJDRXfcjKZoWFZjZ0Z9WBwGKzaBxYJ2fqFwTQp47mQrpLXyJlSAJvAcI5EnwBQ__FVxI/s1600/VR-BANNER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX8WsBRW0vBc-iK3frvP0_x1h2SgiEwDvKawcLlLUzbboXX-bXdJjdwx1bmNFymAajGZzk2HYOJDRXfcjKZoWFZjZ0Z9WBwGKzaBxYJ2fqFwTQp47mQrpLXyJlSAJvAcI5EnwBQ__FVxI/s400/VR-BANNER.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">after the rain,</div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">an endless line</div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">of ants</div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">During the Monsoon season in South Vietnam, it rained</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">every day, the downpour torrential, the wind a bully</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">punishing everything in its path. Coming from California.</span><br />
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</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I was unaccustomed to this kind of weather. I</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">remember one time, leaning almost to the ground in order</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to walk a few hundred yards, the wind clocked at 75</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">miles per hour. It took me fifteen minutes to get from the</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">whorehouse Iʼd spent the night at in Saigon to my duty</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">station, a converted hotel used to house sailors traveling</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in and out of country.</span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"> two kinds of fields. . .</div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">one for sowing,</div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">one for dying</div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Laborers picking and planting rice in the rice paddies of the former</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Republic of South Vietnam was a common sight. Rice is the principle</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">crop in Vietnam. It's eaten at every meal. The laborers I saw worked</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">long hours, their backs arched over, their hands calloused, the sun</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">overhead, emitting a heat Iʼd never experienced before in the United</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">States.</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The majority of the laborers in the fields were women. Many of their</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">husbands were dead, disabled, or fighting for the North or South</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Vietnamese armies. Unlike their American counterparts, the women</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wore no makeup, sunscreen, protective gloves, or work boots. Their</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">skinned was leathery from excessive exposure to the sun. At the end</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of the work day, which started before sunrise, they returned to a home</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">without modern conveniences. No flush toilets, ovens, refrigerators,</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">air conditioners, curling irons, blenders, and other things so many of us</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">take for granted.</span></div></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiunfqxKYJC-6zh9QCJ9-HPopNVXMnDbUd7AOYCLH-sUg-aB87Y3vsTFKhpxMWMSPE4m-3PvZuDWyCtpXI-Mo_hfB2IM4Wv3YNY5u0PJQj82IPUBjm2KrcXqBcRduraR-yclT5QeE1tehI/s1600/rumimythoman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiunfqxKYJC-6zh9QCJ9-HPopNVXMnDbUd7AOYCLH-sUg-aB87Y3vsTFKhpxMWMSPE4m-3PvZuDWyCtpXI-Mo_hfB2IM4Wv3YNY5u0PJQj82IPUBjm2KrcXqBcRduraR-yclT5QeE1tehI/s400/rumimythoman.jpg" width="326" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">near the ground that will</div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">claim her, the old woman</div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">hawking rice</div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Retirement is something most of us living in the United States</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">look forward to. Thanks to Social Security and pensions, it</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">is a time to rest, to do the things we always wanted to do but</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">couldnʼt.</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is a foreign concept to the people living in the Mekong</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Delta region of southern Vietnam. There are no pensions or</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">social security checks for the laborers in the rice fields and the</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">vendors in the marketplace. Life is hard. People work until they</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">can no longer work.</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">They go to work before dawn and work long hours. The only</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">rest they get is the rest they get at night. There are no bowling</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">alleys, movie theaters, and shopping centers to visit when the</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">work day has ended. The villagers do what people do in homes</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">lacking the modern conveniences we take for granted: cook,</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">sew, mend, repair, build, wash clothes by hand, and prepare for</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">the next day.</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In Mytho City, it was commonplace to see old women stooping</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">next to the baskets of rice, fruit, or vegetables they were hawking</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">in the marketplace. Their skin, leathery from exposure to the</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">sun. Their backs, bowed from years of hard labor.</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Survival, their motivation.</span></span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div></div><div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">shortened day . . .</div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">a monk steps into the darkness</div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">without his robe</div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It was not uncommon to see saffron robed Buddhist monks</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wandering through villages between our base and Mytho, the</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">nearest large city. They never spoke. They never smiled. They</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">were either alone or with other monks. The area was infested</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with Viet Cong soldiers. The villagers of the Mekong Delta</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wore two hats...one to keep the sun off of their heads during</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the day and another to make them invisible in the inky</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">black darkness that never spoke. The monks were an enigma.</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Religion of any kind is not tolerated by Communists. Not</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">today and not yesterday. The only other religious people I saw</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">were a couple of Vietnamese Catholic nuns who operated an</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">orphanage in Bien Duc, a village halfway between Mytho and</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">our base in Dong Tam. They too were an enigma. Were they</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">who they said they were? What about the monks? I remember</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the time a Buddhist monk told me it would be dangerous for</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">me to visit a temple in Mytho. Why? So many whys.......If</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">only I could ask the darkness.</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcaZ3KMrtnSX7TJOpYe0TIJx9arLBccI4OxXwIzPwMB5880bqbbE5a37GtVr-HsgR5NR9BKuWhXr3pqG0RM7UV0rPHjcj7nTwVuvySkvEshbs2f0r6zpx83RsEhMm3v97KM9TW9B4X9c/s1600/rumidump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="566" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUcaZ3KMrtnSX7TJOpYe0TIJx9arLBccI4OxXwIzPwMB5880bqbbE5a37GtVr-HsgR5NR9BKuWhXr3pqG0RM7UV0rPHjcj7nTwVuvySkvEshbs2f0r6zpx83RsEhMm3v97KM9TW9B4X9c/s640/rumidump.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">This resort called Hell --</div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">Death stood before me with </div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">an outstretched hand</div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We regularly went on runs to the garbage dump a few miles</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">outside the Base gate. It was a public dump, although the</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">public seldom used it. Vietnamese villagers are a resourceful</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">people. They wasted nothing. They found uses for</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">almost anything. The poorest villagers watched as we</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">unloaded our garbage. Torn or stained clothing, old magazines,</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">half eaten food, cardboard boxes, broken furniture,</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">metal containers, used paper. Things we had no more use</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">for. Villagers combed through our garbage, looking for</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">items to salvage and recycle. It was a dusty, smelly, fly ridden</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">place. A hellish oasis in the middle of a tropical paradise.</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">One hot, humid summer morning stands out. My shipmates</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and I had just dumped the garbage from the dayʼs duty assignment.</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I pulled out a candy bar pirated from a box of sea</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rations (canned and freeze dried food used by those on the</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">patrol boats during river duty). It tasted lousy. I tossed the</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">remainder of the candy bar on the dusty ground and half</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">buried it with my foot. The moment I pulled my foot away,</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a skeletal man dove to the ground and stuffed the candy</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">bar, dust and all, into his mouth. He swallowed it whole.</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Coming from America, I had never seen starvation before.</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It was an eye opening experience for me. I am still haunted by</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">that moment.</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">flowing down </div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">river,petals from the</div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">lotus flower</div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The day the YRBM-17, the river boat repair barge I was stationed</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on, was hit by enemy rocket fire, is a day I will never</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">forget. It was the day the Vietnam War jumped out of the television</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">screen into my lap. I was eating with my shipmates in the</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">base chow hall when the rocket fire hit. Instinctively, we left the</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cover of the chow hall and ran towards the YRBM-17. Looking</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">at the rockets exploding, not knowing which way to go, forcing</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">myself to concentrate on survival, shelving, for the moment, the</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">fear that wanted to surface.... focusing on the now in a sea of</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">adrenaline .....one day I was sitting on the sofa with my family</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">watching news reports about the war, munching on popcorn.</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Seemingly the next day, I was dodging rockets and automatic</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">fire. Out of nowhere, the telltale whistle of an incoming rocket.</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My buddies and I kissed the deck, the sky raining shrapnel in</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">every direction. When we got back on our feet, a shipmate lay</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">before us in a pool of blood.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJD6ofBWcI5N7JYyeExyK3Ha_R0ArcTAbR6KPivoV_I1X8k6Wum5U1a0RvV8c-IkoKGlq3qsYZ2T4UCyD1Nwk5gVfxIlQXl9X-wAaBmXoDlg1R6r7rYpC6jZIy8G-Pb0UlQ_miCmTRIj0/s1600/sakura.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJD6ofBWcI5N7JYyeExyK3Ha_R0ArcTAbR6KPivoV_I1X8k6Wum5U1a0RvV8c-IkoKGlq3qsYZ2T4UCyD1Nwk5gVfxIlQXl9X-wAaBmXoDlg1R6r7rYpC6jZIy8G-Pb0UlQ_miCmTRIj0/s640/sakura.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>Pray for and/or project positive thoughts to </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>our brothers on sisters in Japan </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>who are the</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>victims of greedy corporations and politicians </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>who value profit </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>over human beings.</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><br />
</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>PLEASE, I BEG ALL OF YOU TO WATCH THIS</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>VIDEO BELOW OF A YOUNG CHILD SPEAKING</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>TO THE UNITED NATIONS. IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOREVER! </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i><br />
</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><i>robert d. wilson</i></span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">©2011</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3nwAQ9ADNQ3HVaDUQZMBPDNnepNvOAPONOGlzd7Kx5CbrKGIbb1Lm5Pe1z4lf9HgMOd5Noh3MNRA3QX18M3y0JeB8_vKBvgkC7OczukF-o0TOaB6EDGGLJhE6hiR7MB0-_5wIeTIUvAk/s1600/Robert+San.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3nwAQ9ADNQ3HVaDUQZMBPDNnepNvOAPONOGlzd7Kx5CbrKGIbb1Lm5Pe1z4lf9HgMOd5Noh3MNRA3QX18M3y0JeB8_vKBvgkC7OczukF-o0TOaB6EDGGLJhE6hiR7MB0-_5wIeTIUvAk/s320/Robert+San.jpg" width="205" /></a></div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;"><br />
</span></i></div></div></div></div><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/V_66D_SPTN0" title="YouTube video player" width="640"></iframe>robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-11659217302310166382011-03-19T13:08:00.001+08:002011-03-21T11:09:00.898+08:00# 15<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Robert D. Wilson's</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZk-SPnpcaOTBPDX86svKol4PhJU4jdoK98FfZgF_WK8BCDhqEHIitinEzpWAJpROvtLF1OYaA0XljsboGIfZH5hoK9efcInz3_gpyhk5Cu4t-2JyxCe_i_Tg0UEXCiJSu4YBKGhWnnIc/s1600/lousymirrorbanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZk-SPnpcaOTBPDX86svKol4PhJU4jdoK98FfZgF_WK8BCDhqEHIitinEzpWAJpROvtLF1OYaA0XljsboGIfZH5hoK9efcInz3_gpyhk5Cu4t-2JyxCe_i_Tg0UEXCiJSu4YBKGhWnnIc/s400/lousymirrorbanner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">A depository of over 3 decades</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">of poetry and haiga art.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByuj9sR-fMIoucrsXnMjm8iNXZ4P7HttPnee4Z1MOt6yha1uyo-PkAYYl_PyGxIVY6wNdUm8tLo82YWuyOeRGtAkEocuVV87smusdq5W911RnGc_WsM8wcOn-RH_exh99IAWf6MZPhy8/s1600/app_full_proxy.php.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhByuj9sR-fMIoucrsXnMjm8iNXZ4P7HttPnee4Z1MOt6yha1uyo-PkAYYl_PyGxIVY6wNdUm8tLo82YWuyOeRGtAkEocuVV87smusdq5W911RnGc_WsM8wcOn-RH_exh99IAWf6MZPhy8/s1600/app_full_proxy.php.png" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJokkbjv8z2jNXZbfrXgcseBVu56zHVHfn6rhJnS9DqLpM1sR-SRV2K5kSit_uTnC2G2ek4jD360hG3MwduKBVDhqlNIRmbVaI6oEYS4ubJtUzaZ1UYy2y3DRyjXRmA0dLdbnzmUd5PmE/s1600/wearealljapan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJokkbjv8z2jNXZbfrXgcseBVu56zHVHfn6rhJnS9DqLpM1sR-SRV2K5kSit_uTnC2G2ek4jD360hG3MwduKBVDhqlNIRmbVaI6oEYS4ubJtUzaZ1UYy2y3DRyjXRmA0dLdbnzmUd5PmE/s640/wearealljapan.jpg" width="376" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">None of us </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">will forget March 11, 2011. An earthquake</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">struck Japan that registered 9.0 on the Richter Scale.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A giant tsunami followed. The combination of the two</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">forces of natures caused an aftermath that resembled</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the destruction caused by America's genocidal dropping</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of two atomic bombs during W.W. II. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To make matters worse, the two forces weakened the structures</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of Japan's poorly designed nuclear power plants, causing plumes</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of radioactive smoke to to enter an airstream that blankets the</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">earth. Those who designed these nuclear reactors should be</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tried for involuntary manslaughter. Instead they sit in comfortable</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">office chairs in plush high-rise offices, far removed from any</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">danger. Japan is on the verge of economic collapse, which will</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">have a great affect on the world's economy. The American government </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">declared that it is unsafe for anyone to be within 80 kilometers of</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the power plants. Nuclear power plants should be outlawed. Humans</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">are fallible and thus, make mistakes. There is no room for mistakes</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when it comes to nuclear power. It is this Gojira (Godzilla) that will eventually</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">destroy life as we know it on Planet Earth . . . a power set loose that human-</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">kind cannot control or harness (at least so far <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">* 3 Mile Island & Chernobyl</span>).</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">More more information: http://wearealljapan.blogspot.com</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGsOog8kgmUKl0CfAHCtSnGKdMY8tEMFvVHmTaJ_fZmpisfCoNGv7r9MCVadQFdjliBIeeSeihyphenhyphenbbHQitYhJAgHJWdasoXAFVWQEpc2xMhk5_zzXDiD7YekjquUz6nAtOORUmbvtHfv0/s1600/alongday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGsOog8kgmUKl0CfAHCtSnGKdMY8tEMFvVHmTaJ_fZmpisfCoNGv7r9MCVadQFdjliBIeeSeihyphenhyphenbbHQitYhJAgHJWdasoXAFVWQEpc2xMhk5_zzXDiD7YekjquUz6nAtOORUmbvtHfv0/s1600/alongday.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">long night . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">we listen to the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dragon's breath</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rising from my</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">chest, a hummingbird's</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">heart beat . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i ponder the infinite</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with a child's mind</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">were you </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a cup of tea, i'd</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">welcome winter</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sleep with me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in the morning</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when stars like</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">crickets slip into</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">another's darkness</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">autumn cool . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">past the stars, a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">bed of nails</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with chafed knees,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the boy on the corner </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">spoon feeds </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">summer with the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">back of his hand</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div></div><div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> baby's breath . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a pair of orchids </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">between folds</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you'd call it</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">hell, the alley </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">beside our </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">home, darkened with</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a lemur's eyes</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">hunger eyes</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">me curiously . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">feral night</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you walk in </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">muddy water,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">little boy . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">without sandals </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and your father</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRelhve3dqMX6MRfPTNAYhcm5NJRQCj2BbVCI3bw8MP1O5fFM8hVh9gGS3y9IQHLThgZQR8DvURZP_o65df0NyeTEEODjcr9yLJuPDbatczkucyYR5Fy_YQl2cn9uuTI-uYkrXBoyhges/s1600/fertile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRelhve3dqMX6MRfPTNAYhcm5NJRQCj2BbVCI3bw8MP1O5fFM8hVh9gGS3y9IQHLThgZQR8DvURZP_o65df0NyeTEEODjcr9yLJuPDbatczkucyYR5Fy_YQl2cn9uuTI-uYkrXBoyhges/s640/fertile.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with sadness</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in his face, wind</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sings to me . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a dark night without</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">moonlight and stars</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in my brain . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an old carp ponders</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the shoreline</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">forever,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a lapse of time?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">walking in</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">circles around a lake</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">swallowed by dusk?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">deep morning . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">caged dogs barking</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">at rats</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my ex-wife</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">told a friend she wanted</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">me killed . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a spectre standing </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on broken mirrors</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">soup made from</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">pork and bananas?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">jack fruit moon!</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what can i</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">say or do to stay </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the tide</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of a winter</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">pretending to be summer?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">lonely?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a shadow follows</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">me home</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in a fit </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of anger, she destroyed</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the incense </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i brought with me to </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the isle of no buddha </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">mosquito . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you drink way too </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">much coffee!</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQ_juU4z4oHnloeS0v1I8Bw9cjcISKNpxLCFfGH0jX4OyZtWtfSOLBi62XUQ7llGJLSMJMSG4_Yrg03mbMh1rsau1n_6I666qu1zDkcLPdxAV78bmZb_pDjB-MMbmgmgUYp9HAg5-wpI/s1600/notablossom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzQ_juU4z4oHnloeS0v1I8Bw9cjcISKNpxLCFfGH0jX4OyZtWtfSOLBi62XUQ7llGJLSMJMSG4_Yrg03mbMh1rsau1n_6I666qu1zDkcLPdxAV78bmZb_pDjB-MMbmgmgUYp9HAg5-wpI/s640/notablossom.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when i tell</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">people i've driven through</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a rainbow</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">their world becomes</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a dog chasing cars</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sadness?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wisps of clouds falling</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">short of winter</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sad, the child </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">staring at classmates</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">eating lunch . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in the space he's </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">reserved for dreams</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">does bamboo</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">hear her cries at night?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">gentle rain</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">between the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">clouds a low flying</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dream eludes</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">me like an egret</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">staring through me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">far from man,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the cloud i set</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">harbor in</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i miss you</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">egret, standing in</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the pond</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i took my daughter to</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when clouds could dream</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">clumps of stars . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">orion's arrow seeks</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a stray word</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">she listens</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to us talking . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a vendor</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">selling what no</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">one wants to buy</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rat too,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">prays inside the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dark spaces</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEoXsJU8O2LHzIGlc3Vy9h9VJG-jr_xP4TSSjow_znWR0azKkUWRU0Wer7IOQ60aD5Vt0afsu1OTLOTyjaHEQheLy6X5ZnR0WVPyOfBTAXomkB_7GrQHdoWInx8-jNI2kiXKDDnRjk2oM/s1600/art-divider-banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEoXsJU8O2LHzIGlc3Vy9h9VJG-jr_xP4TSSjow_znWR0azKkUWRU0Wer7IOQ60aD5Vt0afsu1OTLOTyjaHEQheLy6X5ZnR0WVPyOfBTAXomkB_7GrQHdoWInx8-jNI2kiXKDDnRjk2oM/s320/art-divider-banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">After my tour of duty in the Vietnam War, I was flown</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to an </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">America I didn't recognize. Norman Rockwell</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">had been laid to rest. In his place, a million Davy</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Crockets and braless Cinderellas wondered the </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">landscape aimlessly, dreaming dreams without</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sleeping; their minds, neon lights, flashing on </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and off, on and off, on and off to the key of </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">E minor in a coffee shop with checkered</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">floors and duct taped naugahyde booths</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">serving Farmer Brothers coffee around</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the corner from City Lights Bookstore</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on Columbus Street in North Beach</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with Kerouac's ghost who wasn't</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">holy, had a thing for bebop jazz,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">avocados, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and larger than </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">life Carol </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Doda signs, the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">world as I knew it, turned</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">inside out with a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Dali-esque smile</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Timothy Leary</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">could see</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">through</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in 3-D</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> late summer . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">mr. natural on</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">methadone </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13;">/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/</span> </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Excerpts from</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Vietnam Ruminations</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQp-UkKPQZlTL4Cj0e9E_uCjNg9sbSuZ3dVTxd3u-6_phrzR2RwORUhaT_jZqUYFkkDbuaGmAJ-ImnmtWUG9vZoSy9Wei09YIwcFBRbn0sIUrRy6NAziYO8atpLp7Db9FKJPmIsRQgaZA/s1600/mythorun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQp-UkKPQZlTL4Cj0e9E_uCjNg9sbSuZ3dVTxd3u-6_phrzR2RwORUhaT_jZqUYFkkDbuaGmAJ-ImnmtWUG9vZoSy9Wei09YIwcFBRbn0sIUrRy6NAziYO8atpLp7Db9FKJPmIsRQgaZA/s400/mythorun.jpg" width="395" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Boating upriver</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">into a dream saved</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">for nights like this,</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">when alice sets</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">fi re to wonderland</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">All of us stationed in Dong Tam at some time or another were</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">assigned to river patrol. This entailed navigating narrow, brown</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">water river-ways in Vietnamʼs Mekong Delta through dense vegetation,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">partially obscured villages, and blind turns. We knew we</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">were being watched. It was impossible to ascertain if the villagers</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">we passed were for or against us. The enemy didnʼt wear</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">uniforms. Most of the time, these forays were uneventful. Sometimes,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">when we least expected it to, all hell would break loose, descending</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">us into the bowels of a dragon mirroring Danteʼs Inferno.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Flame throwers belching fire; flashes of light; tracers; automatic</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">gunfi re, mortars; shrapnel; blood; out-of-control heartbeats, interwoven</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">with the scent of death. While some of my friends in</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">America were living the good life: cruising the boulevard, surfing,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">attending concerts, dancing, dating, and working towards goals, I</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">was in a jungle on the other side of the planet dancing with Alice</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">in the Wonderland Amusement Park.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"> cherry blossoms . . .</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">their babies!</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">their babies!</span></div><br />
<div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">When I was in Vietnam in 1968, widows of fallen soldiers</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">came into Saigon to work as bargirls. It is one of the poorest</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">countries on earth, both then and now. Earning a living</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">is very difficult, especially for a single mother. One bargirl</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">I met went to the University of Saigon during the day majoring</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">in Economics. It was her dream to one day be selfsupportive</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">and to give her children and extended family a </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">good life.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkgiYYqcopBUeDMCXNvHLxZpVLgV2ygmdCiaqwLICJL00F7LsNZJngIFGWShhcKJ3-YLkyugrDReb0O4DhMsAchQS_xpOaXDiV_N17T3EJDJjk5dlE200UnEXnW79kcnrJWsHfRuIVt2M/s1600/namoo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkgiYYqcopBUeDMCXNvHLxZpVLgV2ygmdCiaqwLICJL00F7LsNZJngIFGWShhcKJ3-YLkyugrDReb0O4DhMsAchQS_xpOaXDiV_N17T3EJDJjk5dlE200UnEXnW79kcnrJWsHfRuIVt2M/s640/namoo.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">steeped in shadows,</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">a dragon laying</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">eggs</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">As the war progressed, more and more South Vietnamese saw the</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Americans in a dimmer light. At fi rst, we were welcomed as liberators,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">idolized as symbols of freedom and prosperity, a prosperity</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">many hoped they could obtain if the communist insurgents were</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">defeated. Unfortunately, most American soldiers knew little about</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the Vietnamese culture, harboring little if no respect for the people.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">It was not uncommon to hear a soldier call Vietnamese people,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">“Gooks,” a derogatory term similar to “nigger” or “chink.” Women</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">working on our Base in Dong Tam were, more often than not, looked</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">upon as sex objects , sometimes grabbed inappropriately against</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">their will. When military patrols searched through villages in search</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">of the enemy (the enemy was literally everywhere), the treatment of</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">civilians was at times, atrocious. No respect was given to the elderly,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">to village officials, especially to women. Oftentimes, our example</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">in the former Republic of South Vietnam aided the enemy in their</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">recruitment of soldiers and informants.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></div><div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">in the jungle,</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">a christmas tree</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">made of skin</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Imagine for a moment, celebrating Christmas in the</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">jungles of the former Republic of South Vietnam. The</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">year is 1968. You graduated from high school the</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">previous year. This is your fi rst Christmas away from</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">home. And the first time you have been out of</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the country.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">You are eating canned rations with some of your buddies.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Reminiscing about past Christmases. Making the most of</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">a difficult situation. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the unmistakable sound of</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">an incoming mortar. And another. The sky is raining shrapnel. Bullets</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">whiz past you. There is nowhere to hide. You and your buddies dive to</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">the jungle floor, your weapons aimed in the direction of enemy fire. Your</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">hearts beating a hundred miles an hour.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">As soon as the firefight starts, it stops. It is time to clean up and assess the</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">damages. Your first Christmas away from home. Hanging on the tree in</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">front of you, bits and pieces of someone youʼd reminisced with an hour</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">earlier.</span></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHPidaeUCPl1WYoD7upPt0XluSuR-lgyiggxk6oJkJIasCk67hxy6uCtVHluD1nW3eFaVH1betVfwUcUwBRH3lCwDqPhawtS9aPohIo6HfcrX9fxLT6qzege4HEo8EYv7j665VeV-IhM/s1600/gunships.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHPidaeUCPl1WYoD7upPt0XluSuR-lgyiggxk6oJkJIasCk67hxy6uCtVHluD1nW3eFaVH1betVfwUcUwBRH3lCwDqPhawtS9aPohIo6HfcrX9fxLT6qzege4HEo8EYv7j665VeV-IhM/s640/gunships.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">new rice ---</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">a woman in the shadows</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">giving birth</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">There were people in the villages I visited in the Mekong</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Delta who barely eked out a living. They lived from one</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">bowl of rice to another. A concept I wasnʼt familiar with</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">coming from a middle class family in affluent America.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Long before sunup, villagers readied themselves and their</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">families to work in he rice fields. They labored in the fields</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">well past the 8 hour work day we are used to. The weather</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">was sometimes 127 degrees with 100% humidity. A</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">day off was a luxury they could not afford, even on the</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">weekends.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">A pregnant woman did not take time off to prepare for birth,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">nor could she after the baby was born. Her family had to eat.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">She labored under a relentless sun, her back bent over, her</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">newborn in a sling hanging from her chest...the nearest</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">hospital, several miles away.</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">sunrise . . .</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">petals replaced</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">with skin</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What a difference a morning can make. The night before, a couple</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">friends and I partied in Mytho City, an urban center 13 miles west of</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">our duty station in Dong Tam. We drank, smoked dope, and caroused</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with prostitutes, our way of coping with a war we were ill equipped to</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">handle.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The morning after, all hell broke loose. Rockets bombarded the base.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The sky rained shrapnel. Mortars came from all directions. The enemy</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">attacked when we least expected them to. Soldiers and base workers</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ran in all directions, unsure of where to go, a path of adrenaline in their</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wakes. To their battle stations or the nearest bunker. Our lives, for a</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">moment, a crap shoot without dice.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVYPUQbeJZ_P1MJRoTjt1q2Eh8uU6m9Pd5epkCpjrliz_DKbzAMo05oU8m-Ql-ebD3hMJFPOm2V1VXnVMBlXScHD7HrD9Hlt1b-qKrxxw5DZo_pAvLGYLSYTDM_mVD8aqD4hQ59vTVi-I/s1600/OZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVYPUQbeJZ_P1MJRoTjt1q2Eh8uU6m9Pd5epkCpjrliz_DKbzAMo05oU8m-Ql-ebD3hMJFPOm2V1VXnVMBlXScHD7HrD9Hlt1b-qKrxxw5DZo_pAvLGYLSYTDM_mVD8aqD4hQ59vTVi-I/s320/OZ.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>March 11, 2011</b><br />
<br />
<div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 18.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">tonight</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">i sleep in</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">a past</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">without</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">an alpha</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">or</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">a beta</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">in</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">the stomach</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">of</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">a catfish</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">who</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">doesn't</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">give a shit</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">about</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">haiku and tanka</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">flying ban'yas</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">and</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">flying popes,</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">pushing</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">nibbling</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">bumping</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">gulping</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">my bed</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">your bed</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">Japan's bed</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">yellow journalism</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">circus clowns</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">new laptops</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">children</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">dead and dying</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">mother's crying</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">father's washed to sea</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">in toilet tissue arks</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">built by</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">those who</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">designed the reactors</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">in</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">America</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">who dream</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">of </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">bigger cars</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">bigger houses</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">bigger </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"> everything . . .</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">the homeless</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">school-less</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"> pennyless . . .</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">memories</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">fear</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">anxiety</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">memories</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">no phone</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">memories</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">falling</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">down </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">a</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">dark chasm </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">into an ever</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">without</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">the what</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">memories</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">haiku</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">tanka</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">memories</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">flying people</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">gliding</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">through</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">the fish's belly </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">who isn't</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">a fish </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">but</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">a collective</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">of rich cats</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">with </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">a hard-on</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">for money</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 18.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">robert d. wilson</div><div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">©2011</div><div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">That's all for this week, my friends. More </span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">will be uploaded in 7 days. And everything</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">is archived.</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 11.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Thanks for dropping by.</span></div></div></div></div></span>robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-50629362909622844112011-03-14T01:40:00.001+08:002011-03-15T23:43:20.524+08:00# 14<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Robert D. Wilson's</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfoxtMyQ7wAX0KWIzrkBplaNq7SQWGD0CPD2NQeU9s0_cHxFa_Baz61xwKx9IQXH-B4gFAVu2_rbPRXy2szOz8oC6wVoMHJTCcCo3zsbMP8bDk_iVkA4_HrzVhfNnwVXxLViX__i9AaE/s1600/lousymirrorbanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfoxtMyQ7wAX0KWIzrkBplaNq7SQWGD0CPD2NQeU9s0_cHxFa_Baz61xwKx9IQXH-B4gFAVu2_rbPRXy2szOz8oC6wVoMHJTCcCo3zsbMP8bDk_iVkA4_HrzVhfNnwVXxLViX__i9AaE/s400/lousymirrorbanner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Over 3 decades of poetry and haiga art</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">skipping stones</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> across an afterbirth . . .</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">twilight dawn</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcTL93cFO49Ej5GOcl_lx5jNUp46hQhyphenhyphenpxSKV9I8I15rzewmLH9LJfyGbMF3wqghaWWwuWpuhXAaEPJrHRW5ySwsSJqWhff7i64tnaPT_UQymNZCLylkwfICCLBSpwBF3CBX4iJ-zfaV0/s1600/latespring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcTL93cFO49Ej5GOcl_lx5jNUp46hQhyphenhyphenpxSKV9I8I15rzewmLH9LJfyGbMF3wqghaWWwuWpuhXAaEPJrHRW5ySwsSJqWhff7i64tnaPT_UQymNZCLylkwfICCLBSpwBF3CBX4iJ-zfaV0/s640/latespring.jpg" width="451" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">somewhere else,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">hoping something</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">will change</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in the winter,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">night became day</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">*election day 2008</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a long day . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the sad song of</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">caged pigeons</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">does the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">river remember . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when she</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ventured through town</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in a see-through dress</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">bored vendors</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">eye every move . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">fruit flies</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i cried</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">this morning, like</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a child on</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">christmas getting</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what he wanted</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">*Obama's victory speech</span></div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">at night, </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i try not to think . . . </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tall reeds</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">without dreams,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i slink into</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a death wish</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">painting blank thoughts</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with hopelessness</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">families </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tending echoes . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">typhoon!</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">like always</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i retreat to</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my room</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sowing dreams in</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">darkened harbors</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">he sits on a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">carabao pondering</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">next year's winter</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">your eyes</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">visit me at night . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wondering</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">why i left you</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to stare up at the stars</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">* for Bobster</div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfrW5ydfsp60SfZpVzfdYoBPxBbhQ9NenlXzC3ka-muNTHg2oh9V3xhIlhODIoxHCkgwK9aSGEVarU2vMETfKDOZr39V50qkj4525AZhQUevKaPmnNxRE6ubXL2rUYx_J4_h3cEtT1P9w/s1600/skippingstones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfrW5ydfsp60SfZpVzfdYoBPxBbhQ9NenlXzC3ka-muNTHg2oh9V3xhIlhODIoxHCkgwK9aSGEVarU2vMETfKDOZr39V50qkj4525AZhQUevKaPmnNxRE6ubXL2rUYx_J4_h3cEtT1P9w/s640/skippingstones.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a typhoon,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">your anger, tearing</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">off blossoms</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">*for EJ</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you can't have</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">me yet, dragon . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">your talons </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">are mired in the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">mind of another</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> sleepless night . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">listening to the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">keys of glass</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">one day, the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">mirror you avoid</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">will pull you</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">into a hell </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you can never leave</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i translate</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what tree tells me . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">late morning</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i listen</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to trees, the voice</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of water,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the song of wind,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the chatter of wrens</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i avoid</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the glow of stars . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">winter heat</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a toddler</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">throws up on her</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">mother's blouse</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in a bus driven</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">like a roller coaster</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">run if you</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">want, into the summer </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. . . i never left</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what is hope . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the dreams of naked</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">children </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">playing in puddles</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">after sundown</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGesgrKW8RF1eYxUeKjPOZd_f1g_oqndD6RpMxUz4ncdiHg5FFyK2Ip5ybwqiLSCaGOGTkSw4PUHKdOw9KcgN66ED6GhmkjJuBty_zF3rhEyAgAJ2Kgjwmofv8hSCKiqQWrXSi_3mQT0/s1600/wonderland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglGesgrKW8RF1eYxUeKjPOZd_f1g_oqndD6RpMxUz4ncdiHg5FFyK2Ip5ybwqiLSCaGOGTkSw4PUHKdOw9KcgN66ED6GhmkjJuBty_zF3rhEyAgAJ2Kgjwmofv8hSCKiqQWrXSi_3mQT0/s640/wonderland.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">where's the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">father of the </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">unwed girl . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">begging for pesos </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to buy a dream or two</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> between lines . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a cigarette vendor</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shucking winter</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what' wrong with</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an unwed mother</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">asking white</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">men twice her age</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to walk through rainbows</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> autumn's end . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a beggar avoids</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my eyes</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">like a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rabbit she jumps </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">back into</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the magician's hat</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">while i'm sleeping</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">always friday . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">she left me for the shadow </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i couldn't find</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">this shadow,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the cloud hanging</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">over me . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a talon pulling</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">me through hell</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i lean in</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> to you, typhoon . . . </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">reveilie!</span></div><br />
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> christmas lights . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i enter the night</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i've hidden</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">year after year in</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a semen stained room</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> mute winter . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">empty faces too </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">busy to care</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shade me if</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you want a truth winter</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cannot hide . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">your neon smile</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">blinks on and off</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbNBeD7H_fj_7DixNlUJxsjIOcANTRXtV_FVwx8wVGLszRqFv6cwHk3Dt3bjVLiyjOqW26lzAo21faXxudCYl7CF9KbljxzPBkuOxRTav-n_Sh9jGde9O7k5WiurisjTOJdBqFwcAR0s/s1600/thisdarkness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXbNBeD7H_fj_7DixNlUJxsjIOcANTRXtV_FVwx8wVGLszRqFv6cwHk3Dt3bjVLiyjOqW26lzAo21faXxudCYl7CF9KbljxzPBkuOxRTav-n_Sh9jGde9O7k5WiurisjTOJdBqFwcAR0s/s640/thisdarkness.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">jungle where I </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">camped, the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">silence continues</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to include me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> mute night . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what aren't you</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">telling me?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to those in </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a hurry to go</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">nowhere . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a koi swimming</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">slowly through lilies</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> christmas time . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a bargirl stares at her </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">baby's photo</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when i pass</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">away, my bleached</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">white bones</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">will be wrapped in</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">fortune cookies</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">short night . .. </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">every day i wake</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">up at noon</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when i die</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my ashes will </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">remind you</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of long john silver</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">walking the gang plank</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> jack fruit moon . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">our drunken neighbors</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sing out of tune</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 12.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">fragments of</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">thought, enough to</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">push the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">clouds away, your</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">face in a coffee cup </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tu fu . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">introduce me to</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">your cricket!</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlmwnGSEcCMamsAG-S7D_3vbXaTwD44UdRCyDFephpTb9e4PzmZaDVRxp0dLxLE-0rrMf7TdzBEeMu5xshR3rphFPHbY_txpH4fbt5BLPhZy4kolj_5VsLMbPiSeX4eMSw0NYLYdohtgY/s1600/somewhere.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlmwnGSEcCMamsAG-S7D_3vbXaTwD44UdRCyDFephpTb9e4PzmZaDVRxp0dLxLE-0rrMf7TdzBEeMu5xshR3rphFPHbY_txpH4fbt5BLPhZy4kolj_5VsLMbPiSeX4eMSw0NYLYdohtgY/s640/somewhere.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">somewhere, a</div><div style="text-align: center;">mole pushing spring into</div><div style="text-align: center;">. . . rabbit holes</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">it's dark in here, and moist, the wind rushing past me and a thousands others . . .</div><div style="text-align: center;"> falling down, who knows what, a rabbit hole it looks like, but that was once upon a time, or so it seems, time passing like a thief in the night . . . dreams, thoughts, a hodgepodge of this and that, collectively . . . look there's Dorothy with Toto,</div><div style="text-align: center;">leaving Kansas, leaving us, leaving the dreams we dreamt as children, or maybe I'm a mad man, a figment of Dali's fertile imagination, a yellow post it note from the king of artistic madmen . . . falling, falling, darkness, DARKNESS . . . listening to music no one remembers or listens to, the world, a parachute jump into a bowl of miso soup substituted for a Campbell's creme of mushroom soup with low sodium.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhteDO6WH-0neVABLGHwKxvRJt0u4vqFVbg-y7Uj3ob6cOPgleMRKIfO69s9LLMhXNs10c6evQX4xBm_H3PWfNndutPsiLuo_tucQN80_KM2rPoUZVuef337rjrAMIM-IMRxr9vxqfuW8g/s1600/haibun+divider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhteDO6WH-0neVABLGHwKxvRJt0u4vqFVbg-y7Uj3ob6cOPgleMRKIfO69s9LLMhXNs10c6evQX4xBm_H3PWfNndutPsiLuo_tucQN80_KM2rPoUZVuef337rjrAMIM-IMRxr9vxqfuW8g/s400/haibun+divider.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Haibun From</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">robert d. wilson's</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Vietnam Ruminations</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrS4MLYy9xA6hudSlGIU5cRXmK4XPw8rsFunzBMbXlbZqinPUOKb9qGeGEX9RrSIIChjcQEHxJ5cYW-KBKDoqJXjtbJ8RY1MfVkpWItRSShI4LFyXBXa7H9wQQqC7Y5TxcsNvQXRD0oM/s1600/harvestgmoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrS4MLYy9xA6hudSlGIU5cRXmK4XPw8rsFunzBMbXlbZqinPUOKb9qGeGEX9RrSIIChjcQEHxJ5cYW-KBKDoqJXjtbJ8RY1MfVkpWItRSShI4LFyXBXa7H9wQQqC7Y5TxcsNvQXRD0oM/s400/harvestgmoon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">End of Tet -</div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">the marks on her back, a letter</div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">Iʼd rather not read</div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">At the conclusion of the Tet Offensive in 1968, a girl who worked as</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a laundrywoman on our base returned after a three week absence. Her</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">back was covered with hideous burns. Her family had been tortured</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and murdered. It was a reprisal by the Viet Cong for her working on</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">our base. She, of course, was an innocent. She worked for us to help</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">support her economically strapped family. Her alliance was to her</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">family, not to a political belief. Like many living in the rural provinces</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of Vietnam, she wanted to live a simple life free from anotherʼs</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tyranny.</span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div></div><div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">Fireflies</div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">on the waterʼs surface -</div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;">a house of mirrors</div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><br />
</span></div></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Standing guard in the wee hours of the morning on the bow of</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the repair boat barge I was stationed on, was eerie, to say the</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">least. You could never relax. Stories were told in the chow hall of</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Viet Cong frogmen who traveled across the small bay we were</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">moored in, using hollow bamboo reeds to breathe through. Like</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ghosts, they appeared when a soldierʼs guard was down. The only</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sound during this watch was the faint lapping of waves against</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the bargeʼs hull and the steady thump thump thump of my heart.</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In the distance, gunships sprayed the horizon with machine gun</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shells laced with tracers that lit up the sky. More than once, I saw</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my refl ection in the water. At that time of the morning, at nineteen</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">years of age, a variety of thoughts and questions danced in and out</span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of my mind; some deeply introspective.</span></div></div></div><div><br />
</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnKNGiA0tXPzg1nmWZqI4MggnEns9kZUgb7SLked9B34KiYpzh9iuRow82cI5gHUei6oM6ApJi-WaimBpN4PdsPp3lnxjT8csjJ2rZbYcu3T68OtjGbxvAaOI63tNOS5GqJBJLft5zCGk/s1600/summer-quiet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="532" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnKNGiA0tXPzg1nmWZqI4MggnEns9kZUgb7SLked9B34KiYpzh9iuRow82cI5gHUei6oM6ApJi-WaimBpN4PdsPp3lnxjT8csjJ2rZbYcu3T68OtjGbxvAaOI63tNOS5GqJBJLft5zCGk/s640/summer-quiet.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">Saffron robed monks</div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">sweep me through the temple -</div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">this humid morning</div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I asked a Vietnamese woman who worked on our base if she could</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">arrange a visit for me to the local Buddhist temple. She smiled and</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">told me she would talk to one of the monks. She returned the next day</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and told me the monk said it would be dangerous for me to visit the</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">temple. What the monk meant by that I will never know. I told her</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to tell the monk that I wanted to visit the temple anyway; that I was</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">interested in the Buddhist religion and wanted to learn more. She related</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">that to the monk who reluctantly agreed to give me a quick tour</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of the temple. He had a nervous look on his face when he brought me</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">inside. It was a dimly lit temple, the light emanating from fl ickering</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">candles and burning joss sticks. At the altar were three giant golden</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Buddhas. The Buddha of the past. The Buddha of the present. The</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Buddha of the future. It was an otherworldly sight. The monk gave</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">me a joss stick and taught me how to bow and pray to the three Buddhas.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">in her wake -</div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">a thousand bad movies</div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">sheʼd never see</div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I am haunted by a photo I took in Saigon during the Vietnam War.</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A woman is walking down a dusty highway on her way to work or</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">school. Behind her is a pillar of smoke. She didnʼt look back. What</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">was past, was past. Only the future offered hope. Many movies have</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">been made about the war. Most are cheap and exploitative. Their purpose?</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">To fi ll cash registers with dollar bills. Most people are clueless</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">as to what the Vietnamese people experienced, let alone the soldiers</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">who fought the war. War is not glorious.</span></div></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">PERFORMANCE POETRY</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The following tanka and the free verse performance </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">poem below is in response to the nuclear reactor</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">leaks in Japan caused by the Tsunami and 9.0</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">earthquake:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">plastic spring . . .<br />
rat poison falls<br />
earthward<br />
into the mouths<br />
of hungry blossoms</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">FAT CATS<br />
<br />
fat cats,<br />
dancing<br />
under<br />
crystal chandeliers </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">to the<br />
Beatles song,<br />
Money.<br />
$20,000 gowns,<br />
black ties,<br />
rich girls<br />
in pig tails,<br />
unaware<br />
unconcerned,<br />
mastercard<br />
their yayas . . .<br />
gojira<br />
underwater<br />
chuckling<br />
glad that men<br />
are fools,<br />
listening to<br />
the greasy palm brothers . . .<br />
saints </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">on<br />
the evening news<br />
shedding tears<br />
promising<br />
to save us all<br />
except<br />
the only thing<br />
they save<br />
is money . . .<br />
our comfort,<br />
an insurance policy<br />
we can't afford<br />
to buy<br />
<br />
robert d. wilson</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">©2011</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small; line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">ime</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">for the elephant</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">to be sent back</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">to the jungle </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It was stolen </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">from</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">by the same</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">big bad rich</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">cats who</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">USE them </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">for their logo</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">and belt buckles</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">not </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">giving a damn</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">that they'll be extinct</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As in NADA</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">in the next decade</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As if </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">the elephant miesters</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">cared, </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">their wallets busting</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">their hired hands busting</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">their sweat shops busting</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">the poor everywhere</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">busting butts</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">for the rich </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">who forget</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">that one day</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">the USED</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">will fight back</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">with a stampede </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">of </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">NOW!</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 13px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">robert d. wilson</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">©2011</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal 'Lucida Grande'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">That's all for this week. Keep the people in</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">Japan in your prayers and/or thoughts.</span></span></span></div></span></span></div></div></span>robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-4380947934092688142011-02-28T02:04:00.000+08:002011-02-28T02:04:32.232+08:00Deposit #13<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">robert d. wilson's</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">LOUSY MIRROR</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGJ_0sSOTeW_Emil_nivtkw3st7zOOrkpPp-kJu1EevdEimYfLTb65hdQ02ZUe-CC-A8t4rt6nZTraK7Lp4lBhJjYfuN4eJ5FMr0FFAYIQbaJClndUNFuv1YOFxBCMldM03Vyj8xeULE/s1600/lousymirrorbanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="92" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGJ_0sSOTeW_Emil_nivtkw3st7zOOrkpPp-kJu1EevdEimYfLTb65hdQ02ZUe-CC-A8t4rt6nZTraK7Lp4lBhJjYfuN4eJ5FMr0FFAYIQbaJClndUNFuv1YOFxBCMldM03Vyj8xeULE/s320/lousymirrorbanner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A depository for over 3 decades of</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">poetry and haiga art by</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">robert d. wilson</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnmoRMDTROEZH4Lsa6YhhTojC_t3BlRn-FJp_QO7aKPXbs_FmAt3RyGjYGhZi_mvzaLIvq9AaFNgPVIARYrXqs_yMVefu2Ww7JlFEH3Fk_J_YfMzDqR-OiSJhB-b17jLw-yAlXfCJ9Dzs/s1600/newmoi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnmoRMDTROEZH4Lsa6YhhTojC_t3BlRn-FJp_QO7aKPXbs_FmAt3RyGjYGhZi_mvzaLIvq9AaFNgPVIARYrXqs_yMVefu2Ww7JlFEH3Fk_J_YfMzDqR-OiSJhB-b17jLw-yAlXfCJ9Dzs/s320/newmoi.jpg" width="261" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">It is with great sadness that I announce to you that Professor Micheal F. Marra has passed away.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A mentor, and a brilliant researcher, he was one of the English speaking world's leading experts in the fields of Japanese Hermeneutics, Aesthetics, and Interpretation.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I promised him a month ago that I would do everything in my power to keep his memory and the fruits of his research alive and accessible to readers of Simply Haiku and Lousy Mirror.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Michael was a kind, warm hearted, humble scholar who didn't toot his own horn. He taught and did research until he passed away on Wednesday morning. He told me he was experiencing unbearable pain but wasn't afraid of death, that he looked as death the same way as most Japanese do. He also had a sense of humor which few would have considering the pain he was going through and had gone through having a rare form of cancer. When I encouraged him to fight the good fight, he said, <i>"If I don't die, everyone will think I'm a liar."</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBwsObZLIU3UnrfX3qwBV89FkNsU_hfk-PMYmOr1zI7WkCntZOvh3qmuxa5pjdCMSdtzLCyQGyuBHoJ9K4OiKlzVM0XLRwgga7UU6S3ljMl-f2LkRVRhu5FF8tT7wJTmm0JHDT_li3Bi0/s1600/photo-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBwsObZLIU3UnrfX3qwBV89FkNsU_hfk-PMYmOr1zI7WkCntZOvh3qmuxa5pjdCMSdtzLCyQGyuBHoJ9K4OiKlzVM0XLRwgga7UU6S3ljMl-f2LkRVRhu5FF8tT7wJTmm0JHDT_li3Bi0/s400/photo-1.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"></span></div><h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}" style="color: black; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ESSENTIAL READING: Books by Professor Michael F. Marra </span></b></span><br />
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</b></span></div><span class="messageBody" style="line-height: 14px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1. Japan's Frames of Meaning: A Hermeneutics Reader</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2. Essays on Japan: Between Aesthetics & Literature</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3. Modern Japanese Aesthetics: A Reader</span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">4. Japanese Hermeneutics: Current Debates on Aesthetics & Interpretation</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The above four books are essential reading for anyone seriously studying Japanese poetics and wanting to improve their art. His scholarship is second to none. Granted they are deep textbooks and not light reading, but one needs meat before they can have dessert. Studying his works and corresponding with him has changed my view of and deepened my understanding of Japanese short form poetry.</span></span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Makoto [true essence] came to inform the poetics of haiku, culminating in Basho's notion of the "sincerity of poetry (fuga no makoto), which he considered to be a 'constant' (fueki) in the composition of haiku: 'a style based firmly on sincerity' that does not change with time or fashion, and that stands in tension with the principle of the 'natural.' or 'ever-changing' (ryuko), that is, the natural renovation of haiku within the framework of unchanging sincerity. This tension corresponds to the strain between the renovation of things during the shifting of the four seasons and the unchanging truth of the repetitiveness of the seasonal cycles."</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwyuiFUg_z-sqk7zLUo6gRGI_N737_IP5IWhUn4V2M3pbrdjnx-HrbcRo6LQz6sv2sr7y_7R11UL911oYosaNDSNhr7AxSRxv7g50o76K3snAwtiGBMB7o9H-83tbGMsEInV7gh6prj3Y/s1600/twilightdawn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwyuiFUg_z-sqk7zLUo6gRGI_N737_IP5IWhUn4V2M3pbrdjnx-HrbcRo6LQz6sv2sr7y_7R11UL911oYosaNDSNhr7AxSRxv7g50o76K3snAwtiGBMB7o9H-83tbGMsEInV7gh6prj3Y/s400/twilightdawn.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">where are you</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">now that soil has swallowed</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">your body . . .</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the words you left, searching</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for blossoms to inhabit?</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Written for Michael F. Marra</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">poor ant,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ninety days to live</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and no mask</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">egret,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">your wings, can they </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">carry </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">me</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">through the unsaid</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">into zoka's heart?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">sing for me,.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">kami, in the tree limbs . . .</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">that bore you</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">your words . . .</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">again they speak to me</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">at night</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">in the whispers</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">of loose screen doors</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">sweet wind . . .</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">teach me how to sculpt</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">sea cliffs</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">the surplus</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">of words burrowed in</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">spring darkness . . .</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">a mole eating his way</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">through the may or may not</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">cold wind . . </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">the fish seller</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">sits alone</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">am i a</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">sperm swimming upstream</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">in a race . . .</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">lured by an egg with</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a sick sense of humor?</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">salt me,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">vendor, with a lazy</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">spring smile</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOuI5LRjPyf-O1M_0TKqsy3CaGhoOC-f3jcNqPtN7mNL_zqZbO2SldR2WaLZMOeWpiTPXXz4LpmLqFBPLFe84XbaWu3SsYSt3zh8lV052pbkVuASoygbjNc_j0LcpeRUYhB-S1nJbBCVE/s1600/mapwoman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOuI5LRjPyf-O1M_0TKqsy3CaGhoOC-f3jcNqPtN7mNL_zqZbO2SldR2WaLZMOeWpiTPXXz4LpmLqFBPLFe84XbaWu3SsYSt3zh8lV052pbkVuASoygbjNc_j0LcpeRUYhB-S1nJbBCVE/s640/mapwoman.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sampaguita</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">even in the darkest</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">corners</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when i learned</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that you </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">died, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">swallowed</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the darkness</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> you</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">saw when words failed</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">nothing is</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">static, your breath</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cradling stars</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">unlike alice's</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my mirror doesn't</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">talk back . . . </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a cheshire cat</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">coughing up pool balls</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> autumn moon . . . </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a tumor in my</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">wife's chest</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">rose thorns . . . </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i paste one on</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my forehead . . . </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">pretending to be</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a rhinocerous</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> this foot hill . . . </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">and i, starring up</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">at winter</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">and madness,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">a windmill slaying</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> knights . . . </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">in a field of</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">shattered mirrors</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">your back</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">at night, deepens</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">my winter</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">bathe me, wind . . .<br />
in a canyon filled<br />
with stars</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTq7t1wutSBfxRWGcgRvM1sG1zIZn6bxdc23lhMYGB9W_mlFW3BguH8yRskEhCUYsncaBXOiYIRQK_1Ef3rp_wpqpqr7tpAtHQHo8biWGHiU00hwPYfaVlKxqgsiHlLiXMuoqiI9yux48/s1600/sampaguita.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTq7t1wutSBfxRWGcgRvM1sG1zIZn6bxdc23lhMYGB9W_mlFW3BguH8yRskEhCUYsncaBXOiYIRQK_1Ef3rp_wpqpqr7tpAtHQHo8biWGHiU00hwPYfaVlKxqgsiHlLiXMuoqiI9yux48/s320/sampaguita.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"> sampaguita . . . </span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">even in the darkest</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">corners</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: normal;">in the</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">darkest corners, hungry</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">children</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">peeing on walls </span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">their father's built</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">sunrise</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">the same old wall . . .</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">laughing</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">makiling,</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">your visage, a prayer</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">i too sing . . .</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">waiting for time to</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">reunite what is</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">*Maria Makiling, is a faerie princess, who lived</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">in a village near where I live. She lived during</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">a time when gods walked with humans.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Maria fell in love with a human, which was</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">forbidden. She was stripped of almost all of</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">her powers and banished to the jungle. Her</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">lover was banished forever from seeing her.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Mount Makiling, a dormant volcano, is shaped</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">like a sleeping woman. According to legend,</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">she is waiting for her human lover to return</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"> green bamboo . . .</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">waiting for the flute</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">player's knife</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">always changing,</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the wind weaving through</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> the mountains . . . </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a vagabond poet</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">carrying thistles</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i breathe</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">your spirit at night, pressed</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">against walls</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">chase after</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">who, the clouds with</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dark smiles </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">holding up mirrors</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">for spanish priests?</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> where to think . . . </span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when night shrinks into</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">globs of then?</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i sense you</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in my breath, walking</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">downstream . . . </span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to the spot our son</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">scattered your ashes</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span> </span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what to feed</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> the starling's brood . . .</span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when rain falls?</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8565oknlqq2jTYENJX8ND2JvA_uiE4JE-9BzWWgyrgUVnLkAdVuuiGKTfd6Pb7S0BIp6MamQCsvFF1RK5UGuM9UYZrFDXVrklqROWV5aubE8PngQjGMgymZeLPEoNB7Lxll2I3qEM88/s1600/how-stark%2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN8565oknlqq2jTYENJX8ND2JvA_uiE4JE-9BzWWgyrgUVnLkAdVuuiGKTfd6Pb7S0BIp6MamQCsvFF1RK5UGuM9UYZrFDXVrklqROWV5aubE8PngQjGMgymZeLPEoNB7Lxll2I3qEM88/s640/how-stark%2521.jpg" width="438" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;">our minds</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;">without words to </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;">assemble . . .</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;">sit on tree limbs</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;">eating termites</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;">/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">Vietnam Ruminations</span></b></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><br />
</span></b></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP833lALizCNrkUVv9J1Bmf-9oumVnbV0o3Jvh5jNAP_dgB4tTTOIPBRNGEdCs5hcZ-jH2qRtAwkQaOlxb5xKgz8vimIM55Ll68YwT7GbRyD1jli3kiIiWHXVYcR0UUqpDoj3pkOE6MkY/s1600/floating-cones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP833lALizCNrkUVv9J1Bmf-9oumVnbV0o3Jvh5jNAP_dgB4tTTOIPBRNGEdCs5hcZ-jH2qRtAwkQaOlxb5xKgz8vimIM55Ll68YwT7GbRyD1jli3kiIiWHXVYcR0UUqpDoj3pkOE6MkY/s640/floating-cones.jpg" width="506" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">transplanting new rice</span></b></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">before the cricket sleeps</span></b></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">this humid morning</span></b></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I had it good compared to the Vietnamese working in the rice paddies. I got</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">up in the morning, put on a uniform laundered and pressed by a Vietnamese</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">laundrywoman, and walked with my shipmates to the chowhall on base to</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">eat an all-you-can-eat breakfast featuring a choice of entrees, fresh fruit, and</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">pastries. After breakfast, we returned to the YRBM-17, where we did our</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">regularly assigned chores, complete with breaks, and an ample supply of soda</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">pop. The Vietnamese villagers we were there to protect, didnʼt have it so good.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For most, the day started before sunrise. Breakfast was scant, if they had any at</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">all. They worked long hours under a scorching sun. The humidity was 100%.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Breaks were nonexistent. They relieved themselves where they worked. Lunch</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">was a bowl of rice with, possibly, a piece of fruit, or a duck egg. The water</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">they drank was polluted, drawn from the Mytho River. Their workday ended</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">at sundown. Some went home to their families. Others fought with the Viet</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cong. My buddies and I partied with one another when we didnʼt have guard</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">duty. We knew so little about our hosts...how they lived, how they thought, and</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">what they believed. Most werenʼt there because they cared about the Vietnamese.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many servicemen called the Vietnamese, Gooks...a racially derogatory</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">term. Most served there either because they had no choice or because they felt</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">duty bound to oppose communism. It wasnʼt for a love of the country or its</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">people.</span></span></div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><b>Listen! A duck</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><b>complaining to its master</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><b>before the cock crows</b></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Coming from middle class America, my culinary experiences were limited.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That was soon to change. The Vietnamese people ate food Iʼd never heard of</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">or dreamed of eating. One of their favorite delicacies is the Thousand Year</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Old Egg. It is a nearly mature duck egg that has been buried in the ground</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for a long time, then dug up. The egg is cracked and its contents swallowed</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">quickly. The smell is putrid.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When villagers ate shrimp, they ate them heads and all. They dined on small</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">frogs, small birds, and lizards. They chased their meals down with polluted</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">water. Soda pop was for the rich. Milk was nonexistent. The water buffalo is</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">not known for milk production. Funny thing. Now that I am older and married</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to a fi lipina, I have dined on many of the foods Iʼve just mentioned, including</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">lizards and whole shrimp. The only one I donʼt like is the thousand year old</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">egg. I didnʼt like it in Vietnam and I donʼt like it now.</span></span></div></div><div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">eerie spring night,</span></span></b></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">mortars walking across the bay --</span></span></b></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">footsteps of Godzilla?</span></span></b></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></b></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></b></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For three weeks straight, during the TET Offensive in 1968, my base was</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hit by mortars six or seven times a night. The mortars were a psychological</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tool used by the Viet Cong to deprive us of sleep and to scare us. They</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">never hit anything. They hurled one mortar after another into the narrow</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">bay that separated the Navy from the Army side of our base in Dong Tam.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The sound of the mortars reminded me of the footsteps of Godzilla as</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">he walked through Tokyo on a rampage in the original Godzilla movie I</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">saw as a kid. It was eerie. A few weeks prior, a team of naval and army</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">engineers hired Vietnamese citizens from a nearby village to help with a</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">fi eld survey of the base. No wonder the mortars walked in a straight line</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">across the bay inching closer and closer to our living quarters and work</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">spaces with perfect precision. We were overjoyed when the mortar attacks</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">stopped three weeks later. The lack of hitting a target by the Viet Cong</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">became a joke. We thought they were blind as bats. We were sure theyʼd</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">never hit us. Later that year, when we least expected it, they hit again; this</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">time with deadly accuracy, hitting buildings, ships, and friends.</span></span></div><div><br />
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</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></b></span></div><div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></b></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dali painted me</span></span></b></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">into someone elseʼs dream</span></span></b></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that Spring and walked away</span></span></b></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Spanish Surrealist, Salvadore Dali, is noted for his wild dreamlike</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">paintings that fl irt with madness. Nothing in his paintings are like they</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">seem. On closer look, the viewer sees pictures within pictures, some of</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">them shocking. I was not prepared for what I experienced in Vietnam</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as a teenager just out of high school. I had no idea what the Vietnamese</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">people believed or how they thought. My only realm of experience</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">was my own from back home. As servicemen, we were taught nothing</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">about the Vietnamese. In high school, we learned nothing about</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">their history. Most of us originally didnʼt come to Vietnam to help the</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vietnamese people. We knew nothing about them. We came because</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">we were told that communism was knocking at our door and had to</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">be stopped to avoid a domino effect. I went, I saw, and got my mind blown.</span></span></div><div><br />
</div></span></span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRaBAMWCOegxDcbVJoZtZzAwvJEuqD_hDDV37uoPWVYEm_8Fj26wUEJW2cs4Wpfrpvi8Wk1WygO4aomyK7ZDKUAEhmEOKVToP4Gby3OpZSYh37MGJwY4E_-mOQeBjI_w4knna5TxcMHdM/s1600/orphan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRaBAMWCOegxDcbVJoZtZzAwvJEuqD_hDDV37uoPWVYEm_8Fj26wUEJW2cs4Wpfrpvi8Wk1WygO4aomyK7ZDKUAEhmEOKVToP4Gby3OpZSYh37MGJwY4E_-mOQeBjI_w4knna5TxcMHdM/s640/orphan.jpg" width="366" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large; line-height: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"> </span></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We looked forward to the weekends. This was our time to go into</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mytho for a little rest and relaxation. Mytho is the nearest port city.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just a few miles from our base. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was a half hourʼs cruise by</span></span></div></span></b><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">patrol boat up the polluted </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mytho River, a tributary of the</span></span></div></span></b><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mekong River. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></span></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ashore, we behaved as typical</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><b> </b></span></span></span></div></span></b></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sailors, visiting </span></span></div></span></b></span><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the bars, </span></span></div></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">brothels,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><b> </b></span></span></span></div></span></b></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">restaurants, dance halls,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><b> </b></span></span></span></div></span></b></span></b></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and curio shops. </span></span></div></span></b></span><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></span></b><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In our </span></span></div></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">wake </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">was a cloud of children, hoping </span></span></div></span></b></span></b></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for handouts </span></span></div></span></b></span><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of gum and </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">candy. In a way, we were their </span></span></div></span></b></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">entertainment </span></span></div></span></b></span><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for the weekend. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I remember one child well.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"><b> </b></span></span></span></div></span></b></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She was a nine </span></span></div></span></b></span><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">year old orphan </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with a bowl shaped hairdo. And</span></span></div></span></b></span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">what a mouth! She cussed like </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a sailor and possessed a cocky</span></span></div></span></b><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">personality. She also spoke </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">good English. Whenever a certain</span></span></div></span></b><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">noncommissioned officer </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">came ashore, sheʼd cling to him</span></span></div></span></b><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">like glue to paper. The NCO </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">was the consummate drunk;</span></span></div></span></b><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">weaving in and out of the red </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">light district with a bottle of</span></span></div></span></b><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Crown Royal whiskey in his </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hand. She served dutifully as</span></span></div></span></b><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">his protector, negotiator, and </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">interpreter. Where he was, she</span></span></div></span></b><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">was. In return, he gave her special attention, made her feel </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">important, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and provided her with food and money. It was as if she </span></span></div></span></b><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span></div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">had a father. </span></span></div></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then the man was shipped Stateside.</span></span></div></span></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: purple;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: magenta;">_/_/_/_</span></span></span></div></b></span></div></b></span></div></b></span></div></b></span></div></b></span></div></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></div></span></b></span></div></span></b></span></div></span></b></span></div></span></b></span></div></span></b></span></div></span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirM5Wp9zfgN_UsKBEEA3jk6RWsMvo-bVW4bwgqnZq2VahqeoezNPrKMVXECo5mvTpqbinMeppFG7G4k6HsVqkg9prwa9UFdiTeDV9Tm4MArfjkrQkhXjd3qBsec3LTubw4zmRUfX1u_nY/s1600/unknown+frontiers+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirM5Wp9zfgN_UsKBEEA3jk6RWsMvo-bVW4bwgqnZq2VahqeoezNPrKMVXECo5mvTpqbinMeppFG7G4k6HsVqkg9prwa9UFdiTeDV9Tm4MArfjkrQkhXjd3qBsec3LTubw4zmRUfX1u_nY/s320/unknown+frontiers+001.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div><br />
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</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">I can</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">think</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">of</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">you</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">day and night</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">and still</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">the clouds</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">refuse me</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">entrance into</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> dreams</span></div></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">we shared</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">once upon a time</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">when mermaids </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">and</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">big blue oxen</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">were</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">all the rage</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">and bambi </span></div></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">hadn't</span></div></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">been squashed </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">by</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Godzilla</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">who was </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">busy</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">signing autographs</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">with </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">his own star</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">on </span></div></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">hollywood bouevard</span></div></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">in 1954</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">as a </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">black and white </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">monster</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">with a heart </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">and </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">a bad case</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">of</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">hypoglycemia</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">thankful</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">that </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">raymond burr</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">was edited </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">into</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">the american version</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">because</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">without him,</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">no one </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">would have</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">understood</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">what the hell</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">was going on</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">because </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">only </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">the Japanese</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">knew </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">the horror</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">of </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> the A-bomb . . .</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">shattered teacups</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">charred babies</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">dismembered </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">school children</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">no father</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">no mother</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">no monk</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">no mat</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">to</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">sit on and pray</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">to</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">an emperor</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">who</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">didn't answer</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">prayers</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">and waited </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">for </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">flying ban'ya</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">to</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">hum</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">you </span></div></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">are </span></div></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">my </span></div></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">sunshine</span></div></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">in</span></div></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">the key</span></div></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">of</span></div></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">E-minor</span></div></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></div></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">robert d. wilson</span></div></span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"></span></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;"><div style="display: inline !important;">©2011</div></span></b></span></div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div>That's it for this week.</div><div>See you in seven days.</div><div>Pass the word around</div><div>about my archive of</div><div>poetry and haiga art.</div><div>And become a member</div><div>if you haven't already.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijzs-TVJbftXRFvL69CbtHtedZna4Vvf5_XkURwhyphenhyphenT-qk7aeImlF2l73FkZ-w3VZAOsbKoJGCUPznXOPdOD2sEf9A4B1q86oQBUugYm4heEkcGFP1QeiGk8ZjDCRM3Z-sL0M1u6wnAiSo/s1600/Robert+San.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijzs-TVJbftXRFvL69CbtHtedZna4Vvf5_XkURwhyphenhyphenT-qk7aeImlF2l73FkZ-w3VZAOsbKoJGCUPznXOPdOD2sEf9A4B1q86oQBUugYm4heEkcGFP1QeiGk8ZjDCRM3Z-sL0M1u6wnAiSo/s320/Robert+San.jpg" width="205" /></a></div><div><br />
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</div></span></b></span></div></span></h6>robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-4087400531916877692011-02-27T19:28:00.000+08:002011-02-27T19:28:32.407+08:00The Poetics of Motoori Norinaga: A Hermeneutical Journey<a href="http://library.nu/docs/H6YM2AL9C7/The+Poetics+of+Motoori+Norinaga:+A+Hermeneutical+Journey">The Poetics of Motoori Norinaga: A Hermeneutical Journey</a>robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-68289599801038534642011-02-20T00:16:00.000+08:002011-02-20T00:16:05.715+08:00Deposit #12<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">robert d. wilson's</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrJiLZThmzWE5eN2dd4g8hljJ_5QyxhaZUaatZ2XeDKa1KmcZZLHM8_Vc0HDD7wCcED7_VXdVmTj4xEAyYAlMLNp9BBNqVLEhfF3HWCaKpPGcvZjOo7nraVnKEaLbfgzH5QHX3cAsJg3c/s1600/lousymirrorbanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrJiLZThmzWE5eN2dd4g8hljJ_5QyxhaZUaatZ2XeDKa1KmcZZLHM8_Vc0HDD7wCcED7_VXdVmTj4xEAyYAlMLNp9BBNqVLEhfF3HWCaKpPGcvZjOo7nraVnKEaLbfgzH5QHX3cAsJg3c/s400/lousymirrorbanner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a depository for over 30 years</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">of my poetry and haiga art,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">unlike anything you've read before.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcdOBmmlXjr_TfjNT7uOIcng6F-N_64bDOu6-al5J0Stsy-9w75e1mq5WCmcHh7Ek83HLA1QAuFsDP7Op3X7MjzeHwgEI3mOFeQtz53ttsDYVkoRbLoXjFr6IRiVp0QzKzoXqNCntA4XE/s1600/newmoi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcdOBmmlXjr_TfjNT7uOIcng6F-N_64bDOu6-al5J0Stsy-9w75e1mq5WCmcHh7Ek83HLA1QAuFsDP7Op3X7MjzeHwgEI3mOFeQtz53ttsDYVkoRbLoXjFr6IRiVp0QzKzoXqNCntA4XE/s200/newmoi.jpg" width="163" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a chalice,</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">this narrow moon . . .</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">steeping stars</span></div><br />
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<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">staring </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">at me in the </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rice field, </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a dragon knee </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">deep in mirrors</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my best friend</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sleeps beside me . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">thawing winter</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">will the mouse</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i killed today</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">think of me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">as a windmill</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in another life?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> autumn clouds . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> it's hard to be</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a raindrop</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">smothered,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">growing old in</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in the old</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">movies i used</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to watch as a child</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> incoming tide . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">city streets flood</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with water</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">if i die</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">do i kid myself</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">thinking</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">people will take the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">time to light a candle</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i sleep with</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">worms in a field</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of candles</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">together</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">we'll eat rice, God . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in a field</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> without snails . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and punji sticks</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> late autumn . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i stir fear into a tea</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cup and steep</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8h3c1k93OD3bnkAplEB9KA2S99lkzBw8GmNwbgzmyZUvmLmP_R5atjMsLeJtBGJeXcevALduiy8FdjLWN5mWsDLjYjC04Ej-uUdFUJ5qe7LS4NMNfIIy9Ca8zunB697nZ6BDsi7YK7e4/s1600/chameleon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8h3c1k93OD3bnkAplEB9KA2S99lkzBw8GmNwbgzmyZUvmLmP_R5atjMsLeJtBGJeXcevALduiy8FdjLWN5mWsDLjYjC04Ej-uUdFUJ5qe7LS4NMNfIIy9Ca8zunB697nZ6BDsi7YK7e4/s400/chameleon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">will i sink</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">deeper into</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the hell</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i call the wonderland</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">amusement park?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">late autumn . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i watch nightfall</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">undress trees</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">he squats on</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the sidewalk with cigarettes</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">he sells to</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">jeepney drivers . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">one at a time</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> autumn dusk . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a flying cockroach</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">picking thoughts</span></div></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">starless night . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the sound of no one</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">breathing dreams</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">some day, son,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the echo in the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">canyon will</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cease, leaving you</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to ride the wind</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">morning quiet . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">we pray the grass</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">won't whisper</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what does the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">jackyl do when the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">lions have left,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">their world a dung</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">heap sprouting flowers </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">durian fruit . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">no stars in the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dragon's belly</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i refuse </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to be a lizard</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">who changes</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">colors, wears a derby </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">hat between flies</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my flower,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">this cement post . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shedding fall</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my father's</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">memory, a haiku</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">strolling past</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">clouds into a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dandelion's wake</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1C1Z7Tx16PkSJyDaeaW_bewzYTmSqN_fXP0mfc5eCrVUFeYC-SOLGAcBfsOgVM5oGVuvOwejDSB385UkJ_Krr70m343UQY4xtCEnpOR3ZpGlZYbJBGhh1I8hQ7x7Y9DLtPbXl3569TBM/s1600/n715711994_1711355_8617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1C1Z7Tx16PkSJyDaeaW_bewzYTmSqN_fXP0mfc5eCrVUFeYC-SOLGAcBfsOgVM5oGVuvOwejDSB385UkJ_Krr70m343UQY4xtCEnpOR3ZpGlZYbJBGhh1I8hQ7x7Y9DLtPbXl3569TBM/s640/n715711994_1711355_8617.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> autumn rain . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the face of a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dead woman</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i wait in</span></div><div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my room for the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rain to stop</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">refusing the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">refuge of worms</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the dried fish</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my father and i</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ate watching </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">samurai movies, </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">left an aftertaste</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> early winter . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tutoy clings to </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">lolo's pant leg</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a maze, this</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">place magellan</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">thought he'd</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">discovered, a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">palengke of the mind</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a mirror,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the dragon's brain . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with me in it?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">where is</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">autumn, the stillness</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of rice fields; </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the sun painting</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">bridges dark brown</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">eyes in every</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shadow, the stillness</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of winter</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">somewhere else</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">hoping something</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">will change</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in the winter,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">night became day</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> night rain . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">caught between</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">petals</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhh7ph4BRx3dU6x97Za17ivMC0_KLtHFd4n3j-5O6D1NtaRGuQf0JCn1P47CvKa1dSVtlprMNrDoPQDbmTtaWCAocl5HG31Vo5ZydWb8B3aQv04H8VWomU4aVfj3whv27jeUyWA5_yN8/s1600/n715711994_1711298_2861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmhh7ph4BRx3dU6x97Za17ivMC0_KLtHFd4n3j-5O6D1NtaRGuQf0JCn1P47CvKa1dSVtlprMNrDoPQDbmTtaWCAocl5HG31Vo5ZydWb8B3aQv04H8VWomU4aVfj3whv27jeUyWA5_yN8/s640/n715711994_1711298_2861.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> a shadow . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a mirror caught between</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">echoes</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">reminding me of</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what i used to be</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">music, the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">song of autumn in a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">carabao's tail</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my bones</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ready themselves</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">for the day</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when moist earth will</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">muffle my words</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> october noon . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">500 lice picked from</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a student's hair</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a young girl</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">squats on the roadside</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in front of</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a buko vendor </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">watering thoughts</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the sun</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> sits on her back . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">new rice</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">waiting for</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the rainbow to</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">change colors</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the same old vendors</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the same old dreams</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">clear water . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the calligraphy</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of shadows</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">maria</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">looks at me from</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">her lair </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">above our home</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with quiet eyes</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">mourners leave</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">their garbage for the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dead to clean</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">children swim</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in the pasig river</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">where</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tilapia swam when</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">women washed laundry</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i miss my</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">children, blossoms</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in waiting</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoV-yZt0F3PZH-tj7WJoy-6BGie6mgZENJyKbWLu__aH-n10ofyyMQ9y0T78_NjuDMQEdhk5xPcegvekQiL86gGzbRwJggR3aT-XZ9pxL8md8weauYMnfkJE52bHINJA4Cky8R5SD8tKM/s1600/n715711994_1711268_7928.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoV-yZt0F3PZH-tj7WJoy-6BGie6mgZENJyKbWLu__aH-n10ofyyMQ9y0T78_NjuDMQEdhk5xPcegvekQiL86gGzbRwJggR3aT-XZ9pxL8md8weauYMnfkJE52bHINJA4Cky8R5SD8tKM/s400/n715711994_1711268_7928.jpg" width="399" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> dancing dust . . .</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">the tickle of bullets</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">racing past</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">dragon,</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">remember when time</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">passed me up . . . </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">the day before</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">the world caved in?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">why were you</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">there that night, dancing</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">in my palms?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">you knew</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">i was going home and</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> felt lost . . .</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">an owl flew through me</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">to lips without mice</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> the cock crows . . .</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">a slimy toad asks me</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">which girl</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">how could i</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">sleep when a thousand</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">hammers</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">pounded the riverbank</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">singing my name?</div><br />
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju4Tui8HooGas9EOQLEupjsWfvsrinX0vf3kqrRGlSsW0ndFSBLriJ83DJwql65VYkamJy7XghbjW1hB-32l2Rruueeqzbr9FAr1B7onQmg98e8vIHX0yVqUbSCG_lwCnZM2KDD6PW4iU/s1600/n715711994_1711312_4502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju4Tui8HooGas9EOQLEupjsWfvsrinX0vf3kqrRGlSsW0ndFSBLriJ83DJwql65VYkamJy7XghbjW1hB-32l2Rruueeqzbr9FAr1B7onQmg98e8vIHX0yVqUbSCG_lwCnZM2KDD6PW4iU/s640/n715711994_1711312_4502.jpg" width="506" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Boating upriver</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">into a dream saved</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">for nights like this,</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">when alice sets</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">fire to wonderland</span></div><div><br />
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</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All of us stationed in Dong Tam at some time or another were</span></span></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">assigned to river patrol. This entailed navigating narrow, brown</span></span></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">water river-ways in Vietnamʼs Mekong Delta through dense vegetation,</span></span></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">partially obscured villages, and blind turns. We knew we</span></span></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">were being watched. It was impossible to ascertain if the villagers</span></span></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">we passed were for or against us. The enemy didnʼt wear</span></span></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">uniforms. Most of the time, these forays were uneventful. Sometimes,</span></span></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when we least expected it to, all hell would break loose, descending</span></span></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">us into the bowels of a dragon mirroring Danteʼs Inferno.</span></span></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Flame throwers belching fi re; fl ashes of light; tracers; automatic</span></span></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">gunfi re, mortars; shrapnel; blood; out-of-control heartbeats, interwoven</span></span></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with the scent of death. While some of my friends in</span></span></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">America were living the good life: cruising the boulevard, surfing,</span></span></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">attending concerts, dancing, dating, and working towards goals, I</span></span></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">was in a jungle on the other side of the planet dancing with Alice</span></span></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in the Wonderland Amusement Park</span></span>.</div><div><br />
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</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">elephant grass . . .</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">a gnat whispering,</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">“youʼre next”</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I remember the wisps of air shooting past me</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">like gnats as if it were yesterday. Only it was</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">38 years ago and I was an 18 year old sailor</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">serving my country on a small base in the</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Mekong Delta region of the former Republic of</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">South Vietnam in a war that would change my</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">life forever.</span></span></div></div><div><br />
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</div><div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">summer grass—</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">soldiers fly home</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in pine boxes</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">A<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> young man, newly in-country, steps off of the airliner</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">that fl ew him across the Ocean to the tiny boot shaped</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">country called South Vietnam. A dream? The air thick</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with humidity and something intangible. Soldiers clutching</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rifl es, dressed alike, the air scented with sweat and cooking</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">oil. “Shit, what have I gotten...” A soldier carrying a clipboard</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">points to an old truck, “Your chariot, ladies. And donʼt let</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">those gooks over there carry your gear. Theyʼll want your</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">money.”</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">He says nothing during the trip. Everything around him a</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">documentary that wonʼt turn off. Leather skinned women</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">crouched on street corners stir frying food, hawking odd shaped</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">fruit, dressed in black pajama bottoms with white blouses; the</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">highway to Saigon teaming with bicycles and motorbikes,</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">unbound by traffi c laws, honking like mad geese, driving deeper</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">into the dream .... </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A nightmare, actually. A reality series filmed in </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Super 8, without </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">commercial interruptions. The grand prize, a </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">trip home.</span></div></div><div><br />
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</div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">behind the darkness</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">more darkness</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">this lanternless night</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The perimeters of our base in Dong Tam had to be guarded at all times to</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">prevent enemy intrusion. This was especially important at night. Everyone</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on Base had their turn at guard duty, whether it was standing watch over the</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">bay or at one of the three land perimeters. The land perimeters were the most</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dangerous. Teams of two stood watch. They had to be silent and refrain from</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">using any kind of light. Otherwise, they would set themselves up for enemy</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">fire. The area in front of the guardpost was planted with claymore mines and</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">trip flares. Beyond this was the darkest darkness imaginable. The place was</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">spooky. You would look out there and see nothing but you knew you were</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">being watched. You couldnʼt relax. You didnʼt dare. Your weakness was the</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">enemyʼs strength. Off and on during my stay in Dong Tam, the enemy fired</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">at the guardpost. Sometimes a single pop! Other times, the rat- a-tat-tat of</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">automatic rifle fire. Where were the politicianʼs son's/</span></span></div><div></div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-IEBSNY9mhr4mEMi0rKbQTlNpMftpyH55VckTfiiF8B6OioWZwGSK4gt7COaYdvQnQBmhnr0ak8j-ExMoKfw5ir5XQkU88agA6EufJNAC-dMwzdoEu5VWLUQKhi3WnHSAaOe5KAdFHoQ/s1600/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-IEBSNY9mhr4mEMi0rKbQTlNpMftpyH55VckTfiiF8B6OioWZwGSK4gt7COaYdvQnQBmhnr0ak8j-ExMoKfw5ir5XQkU88agA6EufJNAC-dMwzdoEu5VWLUQKhi3WnHSAaOe5KAdFHoQ/s400/cover.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">time</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for the elephant</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to be </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sent back</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to the jungle </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">stolen </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">from</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">by </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the same</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">big bad rich</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cats who</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">USE </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">them </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">their logo</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">belt buckles</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">not </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">giving a damn</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">they'll be extinct</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As in </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>NADA</b></span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in the next decade</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As if </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">elephant miesters</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cared, </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">their wallets busting</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">their hired hands busting</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">their sweat shops busting</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the poor </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">everywhere</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">busting butts</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for the rich </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">who forget</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> one day</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>USED</b></span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">will fight back</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a stampede </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>NOW!</b></span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A Taxi Into Oblivion</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I drive a taxi</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">into</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">oblivion</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my head swirling</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my heart ringing</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my eyes</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">droopy and dark</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">like </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">eye shadow</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">from</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">not enough sleep</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my thoughts a collage</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">called</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MADNESS</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">aided</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">by</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">marijuana</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sadness</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">steering wheel</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I clasp upon</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">nervous grip</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Driving a taxi</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">into</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">oblivion</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I pass</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">closet liberals</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">driving to work</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">crowded freeways</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">conservative clothes</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">speeding</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">towards</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the apocalypse</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">short-haired</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">wanting security</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">their conscience</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a t-shirt</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in the wash</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Driving a taxi</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">into</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">oblivion</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I see</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">lowrider</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cruise</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a circus car</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">past the dreams</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">he dreamt</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with painted ladies</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a can </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">spray paint</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">la bomba baby</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tomorrow's maybe</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a barrio soldier</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">fading fast</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">waving</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i pass churches</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">filled</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with people</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">looking</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the promise land</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">no Moses</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">their laundry hidden</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">from</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">insecure eyes</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">wanting</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">VENGEANCE</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a misshaped past</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Driving a taxi</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">into</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">oblivion</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i hear</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the voices</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of poets</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">small town saloon</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">their muse</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a wino</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">staggering</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">down the street</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">no </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Leaves of Grass"</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">no </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Carl Sandburg</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">children</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">irrelevance</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">overshadowed</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">by</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">EGO</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a love</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">boredom</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">creativity</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">shelved in dust</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and dying</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Driving a taxi</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">into</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">oblivion</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I see</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">mindless millions</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with no eyes</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">no comic strip</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">no blank-eyed dog</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tail wagging</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">walking</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">placidly</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">down sidewalks</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">numbers </span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">their foreheads</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">content and happy</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">toward</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the computer</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">they call</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">THE BEAST</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a return</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the "summer of love"</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">more permanent</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">than last</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">summer</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">without synthetics</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AND</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">legal</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Excerpted from And Sanity Scurried</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Robert D. Wilson</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">©1986</span></span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHx4RJEBGOwZaBKfFL0la6RkfZx48NHSOP4H6KWuM21siKg8ucS_ozaLAMwQ0YJA4W6L36IXTfb55kKGc6VerOIOuMFIPPDVsiDHq5OSrJpfJEczypI41g-afXwvDBVDgvyHfykc-Rmo/s1600/Robert+San.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZHx4RJEBGOwZaBKfFL0la6RkfZx48NHSOP4H6KWuM21siKg8ucS_ozaLAMwQ0YJA4W6L36IXTfb55kKGc6VerOIOuMFIPPDVsiDHq5OSrJpfJEczypI41g-afXwvDBVDgvyHfykc-Rmo/s320/Robert+San.jpg" width="205" /></a></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">If you would like a free</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">pdf copy of my chapbook,</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Tanka Fields,</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">send me an e-mail.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">See you next week for the next installment.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Thank you for liking my art and poetry.</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Pass the word!</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #333333; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div></div><br />
</div></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><span id="goog_432823201"></span><span id="goog_432823202"></span></div></div>robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-29736426798075334122011-02-13T18:28:00.000+08:002011-02-13T18:28:56.335+08:00# 11<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Robert D. Wilson's</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPyz0IItG7VgGLzljh1J8S9ePl6jtY8ZCwPuCfwTq7UUze5PNfxPD6N-RamUvQjfT53RWvfMrdJNthEpVMeeR94NHUuQbg1Pi9WBRhhqXOvrwfMECuJrgyaLRTkVNDdAiByvTDDFKcUM/s1600/lousymirrorbanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="92" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFPyz0IItG7VgGLzljh1J8S9ePl6jtY8ZCwPuCfwTq7UUze5PNfxPD6N-RamUvQjfT53RWvfMrdJNthEpVMeeR94NHUuQbg1Pi9WBRhhqXOvrwfMECuJrgyaLRTkVNDdAiByvTDDFKcUM/s320/lousymirrorbanner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">A SHOWCASE</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">for over 3 decades of poetry and haiga art</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbh208nLKEadXnPD-razYPvcFMYs1IWQJqfGi83M3pA5MJE4kwEtvBAyXCI1gZuLWQ1mBuzfw9vBPPsFA2SwUcgCdH9LlvgqWUrmDiPUyngq7hgjUWP3XKGLAGh9vfBPCqhDd_IwPD6T0/s1600/photo-23.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbh208nLKEadXnPD-razYPvcFMYs1IWQJqfGi83M3pA5MJE4kwEtvBAyXCI1gZuLWQ1mBuzfw9vBPPsFA2SwUcgCdH9LlvgqWUrmDiPUyngq7hgjUWP3XKGLAGh9vfBPCqhDd_IwPD6T0/s320/photo-23.JPG" width="261" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">robert d. wilson </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">*NOTE: This poetry doesn't necessarily reflect the style I'm writing</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">now</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbh6nE-HPxPaUCWIQ3n8jsEJWjceZ_S0i8EjQg-QoVWCmcBJO2lECg7zHT2lc5CUa78lzvsBTWSxCLCjSoqiIPE_XFEbtmOWZk01Qwfg9pMd9iICmKkEYSb4IkYOp3fMdNX_TkmJuRDAY/s1600/inthisgrove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbh6nE-HPxPaUCWIQ3n8jsEJWjceZ_S0i8EjQg-QoVWCmcBJO2lECg7zHT2lc5CUa78lzvsBTWSxCLCjSoqiIPE_XFEbtmOWZk01Qwfg9pMd9iICmKkEYSb4IkYOp3fMdNX_TkmJuRDAY/s640/inthisgrove.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the bed</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">curtain's shadow</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dances</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">petitely on the </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">face of a new born</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you smell</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">like a tannery,</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">blossom!</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the scent of</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rain culturing</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my nose</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with memories of </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you singing psalms</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">late summer . . . </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the sadness of moss</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">erasing rivers</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ah winter!</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">clouds speak to me</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with water</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in words dancing </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on my forehead</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dance with me</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stream, in a ballroom</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of pebbles</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the whiteness</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of song, water,</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stretched </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">over glaciers sculpted</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">by beluga whales</span></div><div><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RR7QDKqrde5nN4AwjyquhFkkxJgf1QEBgCS-2x6YF_dcHXrVORu3v3t_90ndH-1BL0UrHBsN6VqTuHRwO0vbDOZlWBL1i05GVEseI0q6RjrIgpMNrhkpq9rog431RJ5o_GBOfL0I8cE/s1600/amanogawa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RR7QDKqrde5nN4AwjyquhFkkxJgf1QEBgCS-2x6YF_dcHXrVORu3v3t_90ndH-1BL0UrHBsN6VqTuHRwO0vbDOZlWBL1i05GVEseI0q6RjrIgpMNrhkpq9rog431RJ5o_GBOfL0I8cE/s640/amanogawa.jpg" width="438" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">warm morning . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">flies push ahead </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of the line</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">starless night . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">gang members in a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dark alley</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">hunger for the fruit</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">they can't afford buy</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> swollen bellies . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">bearing bridges for </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rice fields</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">summer</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wakes up over </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">summer </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">over summer</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. . . a field of mirrors</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">candlelight . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a line of spirits</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sowing words</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an arched bridge</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in the memorial</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">garden . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">how many more </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in the rice fields</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">elephant </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">grass, a night with-</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">out whisper</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">not my</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">own, rain tells me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when i can</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and can't walk across </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the tips of mountains</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">poor boa,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in a cage sifting</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">boredom</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">unlike spring</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the time will come</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when i won't</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">return, my words . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">passing through pages</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><br />
</div></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5txins4RSxPDQGTmoRM1RiT1DXUUV5nMiE_uT_TSCkINHllLdufZq6StnFwX5B-Vueb02yVFrYXG1YgDnEkQELXZZxs528mDwa6hTZUd36bzwuU0ZmTs9nQpFa5Mkt7qmxxSNEbdQkvg/s1600/atouchofwhitness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5txins4RSxPDQGTmoRM1RiT1DXUUV5nMiE_uT_TSCkINHllLdufZq6StnFwX5B-Vueb02yVFrYXG1YgDnEkQELXZZxs528mDwa6hTZUd36bzwuU0ZmTs9nQpFa5Mkt7qmxxSNEbdQkvg/s640/atouchofwhitness.jpg" width="474" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">warm morning . . . </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">flies push ahead </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of the line</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">starless night . . . </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">gang members in a</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dark alley</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">hunger for the fruit</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">they can't afford buy</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> swollen bellies . . . </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">bearing bridges for </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rice fields</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">summer</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wakes up over </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">summer </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">over summer</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. . . a field of mirrors</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">candlelight . . . </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a line of spirits</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sowing words</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an arched bridge</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in the memorial</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">garden . . .</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">how many more </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in the rice fields</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">elephant </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">grass, a night with-</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">out whisper</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">moss too</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">will cover my bones; </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">her dampness </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">weaving darkness</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">into dreamscapes</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> pre-dawn . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">staring past a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">thousand eyes</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my home waits</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">for me in the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shadow of</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">maria makeling,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">smiling with dawn</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> mud springs . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">even faeries hide</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">their feelings</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCrxPws157aLyCk50eI2OcIDpv6h33K-0MrI8TJ-emqleR9P_cxD0qYyrySVmPO-o057nwrI6BFc9xy399rDOcXaZoaWMnb4YMCz3KpXsVNESAxhstc9U3C9MIFdULA7pE1SVLnY62UOw/s1600/ven-in-untilled-soil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCrxPws157aLyCk50eI2OcIDpv6h33K-0MrI8TJ-emqleR9P_cxD0qYyrySVmPO-o057nwrI6BFc9xy399rDOcXaZoaWMnb4YMCz3KpXsVNESAxhstc9U3C9MIFdULA7pE1SVLnY62UOw/s640/ven-in-untilled-soil.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
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<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what do </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ancestors think when</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the lights are </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">out and paper takes</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the place of prayer</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">how sensual</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the moon, her fingers</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tracing dreams</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">she forgot</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">that clouds are pockets</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of moisture</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">without bottoms . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a long way down</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">is that you,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">mole, digging in darkness</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">for spring?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i read</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shotetsu in</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the evening . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an egret swooning</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">moonlit shadows</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">those shadows,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">egret, the stillness</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of breath</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a candle</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">singing, heartened</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to be</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">remembered after</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">all of these months</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">children's tears</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">moisten shadows . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">all saints day</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">candlelight</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and tears irrigate</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">fields sowing</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">next year's memories</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with this year's words</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">children speak </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to them once a year . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">candle light</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">as of late</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">winter chides me like</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an echo . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the fading of stars</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a loss of words</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5UORhBL1-cJrQjwPdPoLJzlFTPqwR1hQmtCp-NQaTXxVJx16srfpyBU_i8oHsleh1TgxCope3P5drBzMUzBsva9midOfUvsWP1wzTBqWQb2H_LUqT6gicWEr6xz5BkmtzmgjJ7gjwIi0/s1600/deepmorning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5UORhBL1-cJrQjwPdPoLJzlFTPqwR1hQmtCp-NQaTXxVJx16srfpyBU_i8oHsleh1TgxCope3P5drBzMUzBsva9midOfUvsWP1wzTBqWQb2H_LUqT6gicWEr6xz5BkmtzmgjJ7gjwIi0/s640/deepmorning.jpg" width="604" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><div style="font: 14.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 14.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Vietnam Ruminations</span></b></span></span></div></div><div style="font: 14.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 14.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">Boating upriver</span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">into a dream saved</span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">for nights like this,</span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">when alice sets</span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">fire to wonderland</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">All of us stationed in Dong Tam at some time or another were</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">assigned to river patrol. This entailed navigating narrow, brown</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">water river-ways in Vietnamʼs Mekong Delta through dense vegetation,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">partially obscured villages, and blind turns. We knew we</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">were being watched. It was impossible to ascertain if the villagers</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">we passed were for or against us. The enemy didnʼt wear</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">uniforms. Most of the time, these forays were uneventful. Sometimes,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when we least expected it to, all hell would break loose, descending</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">us into the bowels of a dragon mirroring Danteʼs Inferno.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Flame throwers belching fi re; fl ashes of light; tracers; automatic</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">gunfi re, mortars; shrapnel; blood; out-of-control heartbeats, interwoven</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with the scent of death. While some of my friends in</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">America were living the good life: cruising the boulevard, surfi ng,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">attending concerts, dancing, dating, and working towards goals, I</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">was in a jungle on the other side of the planet dancing with Alice</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 14px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in the Wonderland Amusement Park.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">elephant grass . . .</span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">a gnat whispering,</span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">“youʼre next”</span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I remember the wisps of air shooting past me</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">like gnats as if it were yesterday. Only it was</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">38 years ago and I was an 18 year old sailor</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">serving my country on a small base in the</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mekong Delta region of the former Republic of</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">South Vietnam in a war that would change my</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">life forever.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">endless summer . . .</span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">a shadow pretending</span></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">to be a god</span></span></span></div></div><div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We fought a war in a country we knew little to nothing about. South Vietnam</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">was not in our high school textbooks. And there was no Discovery Channel introducing</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my peers and I to exotic cultures. We were, in essense, the personifi cation</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of Robert Hemleinʼs A Stranger in A Strange Land.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A poor country ravaged by a thousand years of war, corruption, and military dictatorships,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the people of this Southeast Asian country wanted to be saved and delivered</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to the promise land theyʼd heard abouts in the news and entertainment media.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">American soldiers were looked upon as saviors by many Vietnamese people. We</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">were the embodiment of the life theyʼd dreamed of. Many naively thought weʼd</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">win the war and turn their country into a miniature United States. We were not</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">saviors, however, and we did not transform their countryʼs economy into a likeness</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of ours. And we did not win the war. Bowing to political pressure in the</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">U.S., our Armed Forces deserted the South Vietnamese people. leaving in their</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">wake a bloodbath for those who supported our country and the dictatorship weʼd</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">helped place into power and supported.</span></span></div></div><div><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">she whispers to me</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">this humid winter night</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">from sallow pools</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">left on the runway of what</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">could have been</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Iʼll never forget the fi rst time I saw my mother cry. Iʼd received</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">orders to fl y to Saigon, the capitol city of the Republic of South</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vietnam. My tour of duty was for one year. I would be in the</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">heart of a war that was sending soldiers home in pine boxes on</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a daily basis. Some of them we knew.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In January of 1968, I boarded a commuter plane in Long Beach,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">California, near where Iʼd lived most of my life, on the first leg</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of my journey. I turned around to wave to my mother. She was</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">standing on the runway, weeping, waving halfheartedly, hoping</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and praying that I would come back to her alive in one piece. I</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">never doubted my motherʼs love from that day on. When she</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">passed away in 1997, at the age of 70, I was holding her hand,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">returning the tears</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">/<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: yellow;">_/_/_/_/_/_/</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i'm</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">lying beside</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a hot tub</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">basking in</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">opulence</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">soothing</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hurts</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">acquired</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">yesterday's</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">comic strip</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">about</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">me</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">your</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">black and white screen</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">inoperable</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and silent . . .</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">t</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">h</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">n</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">k</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">n</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">g</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">only of poets</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">reading naked</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">baring all</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> their drawers</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">without elastic</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">holy</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In Memory Of</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leonid Breshnev</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">laid silent without god</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">before </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">an anxious world</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in Red Square</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">his medals on a pillow</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">no flagged draped coffin</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">pulled by a</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">horse-drawn carriage</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">mourned by the masses</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">weeping children</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">metropolitans and priests</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Animal Farm's king</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a gilded peacock</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in frozen hate</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">joined his mentor in</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">dreamless sleep</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">without god</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the important passed </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">single file</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in polite repose</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">kings, sheiks,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">prime ministers and presidents</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">dry-eyed and sober</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">paid their respects . . . </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yuri Andropov</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">KGB chief and theoretician,</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">why was Moscow</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sealed off</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when the world</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">said goodbye?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>robert d. wilson</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">excerpted from And Sanity Scurried</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLg49Zt2tiqT4aBAoiWDIDb7F0rTCL4YlRXG9owVyP3WWHojCne7hm2WLSJbsiQ2bF3zF-LKTsQEqp1bXyC-NBcTDqJlAehczFOOUQHBUvj4eo34UDDMKU4uLzBhO5VaSYPMXRfogGT98/s1600/Robert+San.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLg49Zt2tiqT4aBAoiWDIDb7F0rTCL4YlRXG9owVyP3WWHojCne7hm2WLSJbsiQ2bF3zF-LKTsQEqp1bXyC-NBcTDqJlAehczFOOUQHBUvj4eo34UDDMKU4uLzBhO5VaSYPMXRfogGT98/s320/Robert+San.jpg" width="205" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you for reading and enjoying my poetry and artwork</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This page is added to and archived every weekend.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you would like a free e-copy of my chapbook, Tanka Fields,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">request one via foamfish@gmail.com</span></span></div></div></span>robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-48391664048887430362011-02-04T19:53:00.001+08:002011-02-06T13:55:25.880+08:00Deposit #10<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">robert d. wilson's</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">A depository of over 3 decades of poetry, haibun, and haiga</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what is light</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to the laborer</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">planting rice</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in an ocean</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">made of mirrors?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">autumn rain . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the jigsaw puzzle of</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">falling leaves</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">will he vote,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the man living</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in this tin</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shack politicians</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">call a better life?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> light rain . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">they sleep inches</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">above water</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-pdy-TuSXBuQhyZ604PVv6np5T_GFdp8KwM-hL1_oYS-UrdNzhTtVKkZpJ4qhH5Axrey2Vk8TQaKB9qADL-XeUQxhOsAgLkflEZxNU_6VgPpbJ5WhKhf5rOR3Xh5LcMIuu76vxg8_7uY/s1600/athousandfaces.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-pdy-TuSXBuQhyZ604PVv6np5T_GFdp8KwM-hL1_oYS-UrdNzhTtVKkZpJ4qhH5Axrey2Vk8TQaKB9qADL-XeUQxhOsAgLkflEZxNU_6VgPpbJ5WhKhf5rOR3Xh5LcMIuu76vxg8_7uY/s400/athousandfaces.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what will </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">he do when a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">typhoon</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">hurries through his</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shanty laughing?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cool morning . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a cemetery full of</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">candles</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i like to</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stay awake until</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dawn when</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">artists have no</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">time to sculpt me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> twilight dawn . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a sigh between</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">winters</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">t<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">he absence</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of echo when</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">roosters crow . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and the stillness of</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a young child's ashes</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">brother cock, </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">we all have our</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">winter</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGC0Y23oTU3SBKjdLLExtkPkm70ukXl5q2xJV1u5tu9OiCPH61AEs1Rzg3Nb-Jh-Wg4oZgv2jU6olRXwjisYen_EXaP8iHFWvOlL1pJq5Dr_znePNlWno01qwMhkIggTfzuxGtnTMBXU/s1600/entering-summer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQGC0Y23oTU3SBKjdLLExtkPkm70ukXl5q2xJV1u5tu9OiCPH61AEs1Rzg3Nb-Jh-Wg4oZgv2jU6olRXwjisYen_EXaP8iHFWvOlL1pJq5Dr_znePNlWno01qwMhkIggTfzuxGtnTMBXU/s640/entering-summer.jpg" width="425" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">your footsteps</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">leap across clouds</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">into the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">temple you dreamed</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of as a child</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">deep winter . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">trading a tin roof</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">for lilies</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i prefer </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shadows that for </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">years gave me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">solace when bullets</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">pierced my dreams</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">empty streets . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stars in a videoke</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">bar drinking beer</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">this child</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">kneels in dirt </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">drawing with</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a stick the dreams</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">he'll soon forget</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">who does </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">okra bow to, on a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">windy night?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">lily leaves</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">adrift in a bay</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">without light . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a laborer's bucket</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">full of snails</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">he skips stones</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">across a pond that</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">won't talk</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sauce on</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">broken rice, sauce</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on broken</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rice; an echo sealed </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">inside a brass bell</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rainless night . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wives wait outside the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">barangay hall</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i sit with</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you in a jeepney</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wondering</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">which passersby</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">has a rifle</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0uMBwbucIokzzc-0UyF6BfWGSGWzGIM2wG4yK14xC_OLseUyrYh911EPDnrib0FhofFVl3fiAWNvMoP8VaD9QYR5VwcTlqVDSpmgSeCbmj8lzMQHLLRidr7WCNaEGyxVH9fY9wgZ55WA/s1600/latespring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0uMBwbucIokzzc-0UyF6BfWGSGWzGIM2wG4yK14xC_OLseUyrYh911EPDnrib0FhofFVl3fiAWNvMoP8VaD9QYR5VwcTlqVDSpmgSeCbmj8lzMQHLLRidr7WCNaEGyxVH9fY9wgZ55WA/s640/latespring.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in a field </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of lush grass,a broken</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">spear head</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">emptying</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the mind of me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a blossom</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">floats words across</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">star struck lovers</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my heart,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">peanut vendor?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stale air</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">starless night . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">fish writing haiku </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in the foul</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">mecayauan</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">river's bowels</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the absence </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of bells on a candle</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">lit morning</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i forget</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the words to the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">poems i write . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an autumn wind</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">chasing winter</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">it is rain?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a passerby asks me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to text her</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">is there</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">someone to care</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">for the old</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">woman waddling past</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">me like a wind-up doll?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you return like</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a leaf longing for</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the limb it left</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">teach me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">bamboo, the song</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you sing</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when moonlight flutters</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">like a shy virgin</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sundown . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">no trace of last night's</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">footsteps</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">deep into</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">morning, clouds weave</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">through words</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you thought i'd buy</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">into like a lotto ticket</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">yesterday,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sand, i wrote dreams</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with sticks</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHhJRHow28CCMJc-vzugPhvP6rZICqgnUL8qt1HE4i9Hxid8bmgKqox_aDgZ-PkrA48X3AEbcYfxa9ZkPbqZGptOZtdFLb2OC59aAwu3mlw0oy3CWWRLA9Y__kbPDoPgXHjurzxDJ5x8/s1600/whatseason.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlHhJRHow28CCMJc-vzugPhvP6rZICqgnUL8qt1HE4i9Hxid8bmgKqox_aDgZ-PkrA48X3AEbcYfxa9ZkPbqZGptOZtdFLb2OC59aAwu3mlw0oy3CWWRLA9Y__kbPDoPgXHjurzxDJ5x8/s640/whatseason.jpg" width="628" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Every Evening</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sad, the gangly bakla, a gay hershey bar staring here and there from the same spot every night with the sad Emmet Kelly look i've seen on the faces of lonely, lost, angry, socially dysfunctional beings people despise and talk about behind their backs in prayer circles and over dinner. </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">look, a frog</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">pretending to be</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">someone's pet!</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">No one's in the market for a skinny, homely hershey bar inside a man's body dressed like the girl he thinks she is. Her eyes; neon lights in an all night diner talking to walls between dreams no one remembers. I want to touch him, tell her to take the moon out of his purse. What to do ?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">it's hard</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">being a puzzle </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">no one wants</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to put together . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a child of walls</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Some baklas are pretty, fun to be around, with a self-deprecating humor that endears you to them. They are they, you are you, no line to cross in the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">non- homophobic Philippines. On stage, in comedy clubs, co-hosting family talk shows, unafraid of being strung up by insecure men on a crucifix made of barbed wire. </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A pick-up queen without takers, the hershey bar doesn't sing, tell jokes, and isn't pretty. When she talks to someone, it's to wallflowers like her, stuck to walls at night where the moon seldom appears thanks to an abundance of rain clouds. I know the loneliness she feels, having been to hell and back and forgetful of who I used to be before I went to Vietnam, lost my virginity, watched live horror movies that never turned off, smoking opium and weed, trying hard to be incapable of thinking, walking through the wonderland amusement park with a glass filled with marbles I hadn't played with since I was a child who thought he was a princess from Venus.</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Poor hershey bar, far removed from what was and wasn't, hoping she'll see the light which like the moon, hides behind clouds chasing stars..</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you didn't ask</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to be caught between</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">mirrors</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in a painting</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dali refused to paint</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Robert D. Wilson</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PXRHqQpl6xMWiQeGNk0gl1HQCzqY1clMEoo3q4F0OApwaUfSECkautgIeVSDrflGt2Daq8U6aMQsExVsJbwvHR6XgbmqDNaxJ7qvqJxSk8Ghj7PjWdh_GRpgq0bz3jDfrKr_KDRWgUY/s1600/village-collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PXRHqQpl6xMWiQeGNk0gl1HQCzqY1clMEoo3q4F0OApwaUfSECkautgIeVSDrflGt2Daq8U6aMQsExVsJbwvHR6XgbmqDNaxJ7qvqJxSk8Ghj7PjWdh_GRpgq0bz3jDfrKr_KDRWgUY/s640/village-collage.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">End of Tet -</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the marks on her back, a letter</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Iʼd rather not read</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the conclusion of the Tet Offensive in 1968, a girl who worked as</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a laundrywoman on our base returned after a three week absence. Her</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">back was covered with hideous burns. Her family had been tortured</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and murdered. It was a reprisal by the Viet Cong for her working on</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">our base. She, of course, was an innocent. She worked for us to help</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">support her economically strapped family. Her alliance was to her</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">family, not to a political belief. Like many living in the rural provinces</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of Vietnam, she wanted to live a simple life free from anotherʼs</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tyranny.</span></span></div><div><br />
</div></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fireflies</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on the waterʼs surface . . .</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a house of mirrors</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Standing guard in the wee hours of the morning on the bow of</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the repair boat barge I was stationed on, was eerie, to say the</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">least. You could never relax. Stories were told in the chow hall of</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Viet Cong frogmen who traveled across the small bay we were</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">moored in, using hollow bamboo reeds to breathe through. Like</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ghosts, they appeared when a soldierʼs guard was down. The only</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sound during this watch was the faint lapping of waves against</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the bargeʼs hull and the steady thump thump thump of my heart.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the distance, gunships sprayed the horizon with machine gun</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">shells laced with tracers that lit up the sky. More than once, I saw</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my refl ection in the water. At that time of the morning, at nineteen</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">years of age, a variety of thoughts and questions danced in and out</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of my mind.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sunrise . . .</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tiny dark clouds hover</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">over the jungle floor</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Life went on as usual during the daylight hours. People worked.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">People played. People rested. The hot sun caressed our faces</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">like a jealous lover. For the most part, it was the only time many</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of us could relax, let our thoughts wonder to better times back</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">home where jungles and mortars didnʼt exist. In Dong Tam, the</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">war was fought at night when jeeps and baskets were replaced</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with automatic weapons and hand grenades. Water Buffalo were</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tied up. Candles were dowsed. . . the quiet, pierced by flashes of</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">light, pops of air, and sickening thuds. In the morning, the jungle</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">floor was harvested by blowflies.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not little monkeys</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">or beasts of burden . . .</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 18px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Human beings! Human beings!</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many American soldiers called the Vietnamese, “gooks”. It was</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a degrading term, in the same league as “nigger” or “chink”. We</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">knew so little about the Vietnamese. We saw everything through</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">our own eyes, our own plane of experience. The Vietnamese are</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">smaller in stature. Many were uneducated. A humble people,</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">they would smile and bow when they didnʼt understand what</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">an American soldier was saying to them. I remember vividly, a</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">couple of GIs spouting gross obscenities and derogatory remarks</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">at a young Vietnamese man. The man didnʼt understand what the</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">soldiers were saying . He bowed and smiled, over and over again.</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All the while, the two GIs laughed at him.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></span><br />
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The above haibun excerpted from</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vietnam Ruminations</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Robert D. Wilson</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><br />
</div></span><br />
<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmokOciKHekOtL_Ms5HBgyyIKl3RjkzP4SlY3KRJEMI0_z6qYcuX7lDvXQWYIpWHMWlt8iLcpTT8kgNJKXV1onG0MOT0cytbsxXeu_iR-dU3lcMI2CwRbCwmhwYtp1kng8OAQVaOJ4-ls/s1600/daydreaming.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmokOciKHekOtL_Ms5HBgyyIKl3RjkzP4SlY3KRJEMI0_z6qYcuX7lDvXQWYIpWHMWlt8iLcpTT8kgNJKXV1onG0MOT0cytbsxXeu_iR-dU3lcMI2CwRbCwmhwYtp1kng8OAQVaOJ4-ls/s640/daydreaming.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">i too</div><div style="text-align: center;">have lived</div><div style="text-align: center;">a</div><div style="text-align: center;">coney island</div><div style="text-align: center;">of</div><div style="text-align: center;">the mind</div><div style="text-align: center;">dangling</div><div style="text-align: center;">hanging</div><div style="text-align: center;">as if</div><div style="text-align: center;">from</div><div style="text-align: center;">a single thread</div><div style="text-align: center;">a high wire artist</div><div style="text-align: center;">walking</div><div style="text-align: center;">a thin rope</div><div style="text-align: center;">of</div><div style="text-align: center;">sanity</div><div style="text-align: center;">seeking equilibrium</div><div style="text-align: center;">in </div><div style="text-align: center;">a word gone</div><div style="text-align: center;">CRAZY</div><div style="text-align: center;">i too</div><div style="text-align: center;">have</div><div style="text-align: center;">traveled</div><div style="text-align: center;">the orient</div><div style="text-align: center;">in</div><div style="text-align: center;">a time of war</div><div style="text-align: center;">and</div><div style="text-align: center;">saw teacups float by</div><div style="text-align: center;">crying</div><div style="text-align: center;">for</div><div style="text-align: center;">a</div><div style="text-align: center;">lost innocence</div><div style="text-align: center;">i too</div><div style="text-align: center;">have</div><div style="text-align: center;">marched in demonstrations</div><div style="text-align: center;">calling</div><div style="text-align: center;">for</div><div style="text-align: center;">justice</div><div style="text-align: center;">rewarded</div><div style="text-align: center;">with billyclubs</div><div style="text-align: center;">and</div><div style="text-align: center;">tear gas</div><div style="text-align: center;">woodstock</div><div style="text-align: center;">a faded memory</div><div style="text-align: center;">dangling</div><div style="text-align: center;">hanging</div><div style="text-align: center;">as if</div><div style="text-align: center;">from</div><div style="text-align: center;">a single thread</div><div style="text-align: center;">i too</div><div style="text-align: center;">have dropped acid</div><div style="text-align: center;">and</div><div style="text-align: center;">turned on</div><div style="text-align: center;">the inner light</div><div style="text-align: center;">to</div><div style="text-align: center;">have it</div><div style="text-align: center;">short circuited</div><div style="text-align: center;">by</div><div style="text-align: center;">religious potluck suppers</div><div style="text-align: center;">serving</div><div style="text-align: center;">BIGOTRY</div><div style="text-align: center;">on a platter</div><div style="text-align: center;">and</div><div style="text-align: center;">i too</div><div style="text-align: center;">have shook hands</div><div style="text-align: center;">with</div><div style="text-align: center;">the important</div><div style="text-align: center;">my</div><div style="text-align: center;">generation's heroes</div><div style="text-align: center;">finding them</div><div style="text-align: center;">to be</div><div style="text-align: center;">mindless</div><div style="text-align: center;">overrated</div><div style="text-align: center;">MANIACS</div><div style="text-align: center;">interested in</div><div style="text-align: center;">promoting themselves</div><div style="text-align: center;">dangling</div><div style="text-align: center;">hanging</div><div style="text-align: center;">as if</div><div style="text-align: center;">from</div><div style="text-align: center;">a single thread</div><div style="text-align: center;">unaware of</div><div style="text-align: center;">God's interest</div><div style="text-align: center;">in</div><div style="text-align: center;">the matter</div><div style="text-align: center;">i too</div><div style="text-align: center;">have</div><div style="text-align: center;">lived a coney island</div><div style="text-align: center;">of</div><div style="text-align: center;">the mind</div><div style="text-align: center;">traveled the orient</div><div style="text-align: center;">in</div><div style="text-align: center;">a time of war</div><div style="text-align: center;">marched</div><div style="text-align: center;">in demonstrations</div><div style="text-align: center;">dropped acid</div><div style="text-align: center;">become religious/irreligious</div><div style="text-align: center;">shook hands</div><div style="text-align: center;">with heroes</div><div style="text-align: center;">and</div><div style="text-align: center;">watched america</div><div style="text-align: center;">get</div><div style="text-align: center;">a facelift with</div><div style="text-align: center;">RONALD REAGAN</div><div style="text-align: center;">dangling</div><div style="text-align: center;">hanging</div><div style="text-align: center;">as if</div><div style="text-align: center;">from </div><div style="text-align: center;">a single thread</div><div style="text-align: center;">over</div><div style="text-align: center;">a chasm</div><div style="text-align: center;">of</div><div style="text-align: center;">nuclear destruction</div><div style="text-align: center;">. . . and sanity scurried</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">robert d. wilson</div><div style="text-align: center;">Excerpted from my chapbook:</div><div style="text-align: center;">And Sanity Scurried</div><div style="text-align: center;">Non-existent Press</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Spread the word. Recommend this site to others.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;">robert d. wilson</div><div style="text-align: center;">©2011</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div></div>robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-68764668464734879992011-01-28T13:21:00.001+08:002011-01-31T00:39:06.660+08:00Issue #9<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Robert D. Wilson's</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcio8IeuQMCPcmt4xHYcsu_1azUGOgA0hpvMCU-FQwz3ZL2f5kNWRUhBo8x9Qyx6FMAN35uihyphenhyphenmC-R0LkT846ySf0dnfHVmq-u22TKNIpQ6iDgZctgBkYFm1PPMhNRKiNcrgA5nwNDxN0/s1600/lousymirrorbanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcio8IeuQMCPcmt4xHYcsu_1azUGOgA0hpvMCU-FQwz3ZL2f5kNWRUhBo8x9Qyx6FMAN35uihyphenhyphenmC-R0LkT846ySf0dnfHVmq-u22TKNIpQ6iDgZctgBkYFm1PPMhNRKiNcrgA5nwNDxN0/s400/lousymirrorbanner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">replace</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the aha with</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">oh yes . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the aha, a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cup of that was</span></div></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYn3fwQ91jAX3MsJXd17iC-TS7QNqmNryE9pvSkMcP15uO4pWFsk6KUMpdvfesUoQ9awgXHZab74-8ORsGa6-WezlNf9wepivzNiiKc6URM9MiBbvM8nRUbHzXP9bJvIZWZVGHDHBNOPg/s1600/astrongwind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYn3fwQ91jAX3MsJXd17iC-TS7QNqmNryE9pvSkMcP15uO4pWFsk6KUMpdvfesUoQ9awgXHZab74-8ORsGa6-WezlNf9wepivzNiiKc6URM9MiBbvM8nRUbHzXP9bJvIZWZVGHDHBNOPg/s400/astrongwind.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">the echo<br />
of a thousand locusts . . .<br />
sweeping song</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">the wind<br />
between volcanos<br />
scatters sound . . .<br />
and in my ears,<br />
a cattle egret<br />
pecking notes</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
her maid's hands . . .<br />
before dawn, the egg<br />
seller's bark<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
when dawn<br />
erases our<br />
memories . . .<br />
and dark clouds<br />
stand over bridges</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">without you . . .</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an unclothed moon</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">weeping stars</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="text-align: center;">descending</div></span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">from the grayness of</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">a crane's wings . . .</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">a memory</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">moored in thick mud</span></div></span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">morning dew . . .</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">remembering long</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ago rivers</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">this backstreet </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">where lizards and men </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">swap tales</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">over cheap brandy</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and nowhere stars</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">kigo words? </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">it's summer here </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">all year long!</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">will the sun</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">have a place for me</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">under the log</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i share with slugs and</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">newts, trying not to feel?</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">twilight dawn . . . </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a sigh between</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">winters</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">late autumn</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">he follows the moon </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">through clouds</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">into the darkness</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">children hide in closets </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7vDff6fWRQq56TfqvLeKfRHPEvSEp5torsdl0WdFrehxH431-DoheACjryS9VOhR5f7HduEJUhkysTGOSPSaUOMxb8rkhJhuIH6x4tQObZBdTFIPnbw-tptpUPt0u-0J-buWFe23P-Es/s1600/descended.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7vDff6fWRQq56TfqvLeKfRHPEvSEp5torsdl0WdFrehxH431-DoheACjryS9VOhR5f7HduEJUhkysTGOSPSaUOMxb8rkhJhuIH6x4tQObZBdTFIPnbw-tptpUPt0u-0J-buWFe23P-Es/s640/descended.jpg" width="507" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an old egret,</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">that shanty on stilts</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">glued to mud</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">even the rain</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cannot wash away</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the hunger</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of children hanging</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on to another's dreams</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">without light, he</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">longs for the dawn</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">that swallows him</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">it's hard to</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">eat when crocodiles</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">chase you</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">away from the cart</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">your life depends on</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dry wheat grass . . . </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the whiteness of</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a child dying</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the rats,</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the cockroaches</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the absence</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of hope living under</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a tin cathedral</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a riot in front</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of the barangay hall . . . </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">blood moon!</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with glazed eyes</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a stroke victim</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">inches through</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the memorial park</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with an unlit torch</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">comrades,</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the moon and i . . . </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">scattered clouds</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in the</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">morning, rats take</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">their place</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with children, scrounging</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what dali left out</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">is this the gift</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">God gave man, a tin roof</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in winter?</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmVW09McyuAVoDQW8Ltuz1r0UF-bB_XsmdBjsk6UQxkKf_1l2SLDW0KkuWPLPsQ46ykdVSG_rBfjbeuL4wVKPG836IG54Hz4ZsbA0ZT4_CKneiDlb6AMmUQ6nPZgpPPIkNDLpdkU5tPE/s1600/letigre.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmVW09McyuAVoDQW8Ltuz1r0UF-bB_XsmdBjsk6UQxkKf_1l2SLDW0KkuWPLPsQ46ykdVSG_rBfjbeuL4wVKPG836IG54Hz4ZsbA0ZT4_CKneiDlb6AMmUQ6nPZgpPPIkNDLpdkU5tPE/s640/letigre.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">he picks up</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">coins left in front</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of crypts</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">fearing his children's</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">hunger instead of God</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rice pickers . . .</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">bridges above the</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">floating world</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">this could be</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">heaven, if the leaves</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wrote poems</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and the grass spoke</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">without whitman</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stone, teach me</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the calm of cold soil . . . </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on damp nights</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">look at me,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">moth, i too will fly</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">into lights</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> and</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> fall to earth in</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a poloroid snapshot</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">just days . . . </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">turning the pages i</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">would've written</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the road's cold,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">kerouac, steamless</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">diesels . . .</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with a list of credits</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">nobody'll read</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a thousand</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">toads, and no one</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to eat them!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioAiJsdAqiGDUm_15K8drCvs28J9zkE2490qrYX9gZGwQlyGJI0y4Z9oiuuPijVBlH1VQxP4kqTtGAvOdA96OA6Mivu5mqlT7is58TXMiKYS48q7xFkBO8L7CQzJOwoNKxCD-CidQ0PQQ/s1600/dragonslaying.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioAiJsdAqiGDUm_15K8drCvs28J9zkE2490qrYX9gZGwQlyGJI0y4Z9oiuuPijVBlH1VQxP4kqTtGAvOdA96OA6Mivu5mqlT7is58TXMiKYS48q7xFkBO8L7CQzJOwoNKxCD-CidQ0PQQ/s640/dragonslaying.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the dog's nose . . . </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a hundred dragons</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">coughing</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">smileless people</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">riding on bicycles</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">made somewhere else</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The streets of old Saigon, now Ho Chi Minh City, were filled with</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">thousands of people riding to and from their existence on bicycles,</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tricycles, and motorbikes. Almost everyone, male and female, wore a</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">white shirt or blouse. Cars were rare; saved for use by local military</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">personnel and high ranking offi cials. Vietnam is one of the poorest</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">nations on earth. The people were used and exploited by those in</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">power when I was there. They are today, as well. They hold on to</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">their memories, their faith, and their sense of family. It is what keeps</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">them going.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">wearing a dragonʼs</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">skin, this overcast night . . .</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the tiger!</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tet is the Vietnamese New Year. Normally, it is a time for celebration. In</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1968, it was the eve of a mass offensive staged by the Viet Cong. I was</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">newly in country, walking with some buddies through the red light district</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in downtown Saigon. It was a surreal evening. Almost dreamlike.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The weather was humid. Clouds kept the moonlight at bay. The street</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">was overfl owing with Vietnamese civilians and American servicemen.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Newbies, our sense of adventure was on overdrive. We wanted to see and</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">experience everything. No parents to tell us what we could or couldnʼt do.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There was also an intangible something in the air, like an electrical current.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Itʼs hard to describe. Something was about to come down. The calm before</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the storm?</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There were an unusual number of funeral processions that evening. Small</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">groups of Vietnamese citizens walking through the middle of the street</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with a decorated casket, the deceasedʼs picture on top, carrying joss sticks</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and playing indigenous instruments. Only later, after I was transferred to</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my duty station in Dong Tam, did I learn the truth about the funeral processions.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They were used to transport arms and enemy soldiers into the</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">nationʼs capitol in preparation for the Tet Offensive.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bQGFvH5nhYLp0Msx66Ann09XYaKC-_kYCXt4gNQ63gdBh3ajBhtBLrK6Ag-luwH6H9fKgTQK4P1z1nMkl3TJf9wBSb2M2ESMy7EqUcbBY6a1wJZLCTfOxaCrWqnPVUPTLONC-txyMjY/s1600/wonderland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5bQGFvH5nhYLp0Msx66Ann09XYaKC-_kYCXt4gNQ63gdBh3ajBhtBLrK6Ag-luwH6H9fKgTQK4P1z1nMkl3TJf9wBSb2M2ESMy7EqUcbBY6a1wJZLCTfOxaCrWqnPVUPTLONC-txyMjY/s640/wonderland.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sunrise</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">petals replaced</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with skin</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What a difference a morning can make. The night</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">before, a couple friends and I partied in Mytho City, </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">an urban center 13 miles west of our duty station in </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dong Tam. We drank, smoked dope, and caroused with</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">prostitutes, our way of coping with a war we were</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ill equipped to handle.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The morning after, all hell broke loose. Rockets</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">bombarded the base. The sky rained shrapnel. Mortars </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">came from all directions. The enemy attacked when we </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">least expected them to. Soldiers and base workers ran</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in all directions, unsure of where to go, a path of</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">adrenaline in their wakes. To their battle stations </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">or the nearest bunker. Our lives, for a moment, a crap </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">shoot without dice.</span></span></div><div><br />
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<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">does she dream,</span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this girl picking rice</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">before the sun wakes up?</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Water buffalos were the tractors of South Vietnam. Only the well</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">off could afford to buy one. Those who couldnʼt, plowed the fields</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with their backs... Women carrying loads on their backs no American</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">woman would ever agree to carry. They had no choice. It was work</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in the fi elds or starve to death. People starving to death in the villages</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and cities of Vietnam were an everyday occurrence.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The above haibun are excerpted from my 172 e-book, Vietnam Ruminations.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">IF YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE COPY</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">contact me: foamfish@gmail.com</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the chair</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i am</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sitting in</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">could have been</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a granite rock</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">pushed up</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">from the</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">earth</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">millions of years ago</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">lucky for me</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ended up next to</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a babbling brook</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that doesn't babble</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">too much</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">except on</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">weekdays</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when i am at work</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">bluejays</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">land on it</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">but then again</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>"could have"</b></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">isn't a reality show</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">or chinese take home</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my chair isn't</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a granite rock</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i'm not sitting beside</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a babbling brook</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the computer in front of me</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">oddly enough</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sounding like</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">an</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">asthmatic</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">refrigerator</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on loan</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">from</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">school cafeteria</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">09-20-2003</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tonight </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">especially</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">one rerun</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">after another</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hour </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">goes by</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">calling me to</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a bed</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i've slept in</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">one </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">too many</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">times</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPAZCvUGlvVP2lT50l7-okw38JX9rv0FuswBZZP7YK06lxfnkgaVauCdLQgxArWSHFqJN3jPiC4Etsx4Wk5F8SUg8xKrSagnmfTvY5f0dKOyZ6wxVgk_VUDSbUX2nR_VuAEGdW57iiOhk/s1600/dreamingsnails.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPAZCvUGlvVP2lT50l7-okw38JX9rv0FuswBZZP7YK06lxfnkgaVauCdLQgxArWSHFqJN3jPiC4Etsx4Wk5F8SUg8xKrSagnmfTvY5f0dKOyZ6wxVgk_VUDSbUX2nR_VuAEGdW57iiOhk/s640/dreamingsnails.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a star</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">born to squander</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">its</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">effervescent light</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">upon</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sedimentary waste</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">fossil fuels</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">churns</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">within the bowels of</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a mechanized monster</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ruthlessly</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">belching out</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">death</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">faithful obedience</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cosmic puppeteers D</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> A</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> N</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> G</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> L</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> N</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> G </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">american leaders on strings</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of greed, and self</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">inflated ego . . .</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a nagasaki howdy doody show</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">too many commercials </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Excerpted from my 1984 chapbook,</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">AND SANITY SCURRIED</span> </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">"Thanks for dropping. See you next with with a brand new upload</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #4c1130;">of poetry and haiga I've created in the past 3 plus decades."</span></span></span></div></span></span></span></span></div></span></span></div></div>robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-6605489930738330972011-01-22T02:50:00.001+08:002011-01-23T23:34:59.626+08:00Issue 8<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">robert d. wilson's </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">LOUSY MIRROR</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">over decades of poetry and haiga</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoWXk4LbbDO4zXLi6tessawDWJrJkBAT5Jb2hn5SVaUEZZ2LxFaL6Wv4QCVauyOHfCeiEVkc2kzpnT4Ki7Wrk9-ds9zKYeiFxaWbjJBHQ55eTEQ8Od3ZJejFeKX2y_B41VQ2A7_9gLQUM/s1600/sketch+of+moi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoWXk4LbbDO4zXLi6tessawDWJrJkBAT5Jb2hn5SVaUEZZ2LxFaL6Wv4QCVauyOHfCeiEVkc2kzpnT4Ki7Wrk9-ds9zKYeiFxaWbjJBHQ55eTEQ8Od3ZJejFeKX2y_B41VQ2A7_9gLQUM/s320/sketch+of+moi.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">humid, the</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">waiting room in a</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">marmot's dream</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a tempest,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this unstable cloud . . .</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">carefully tapping the air</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with a bamboo cane</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">summer clothes . . . </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the dull sheen of</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">green water</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wiping feet</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in a jeepney,</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">this young boy</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">people swat away</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">like a mosquito</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sipping quiet</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">from a c-ration can . . . </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">winter night</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i listen</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">momentarily</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to words</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">whispered from a </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">girl friend's urn</span></span></div><br />
<div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">twilight . . . </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">fighting madness in a</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">pool of vomit</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">madness </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">courts me with walls </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dancing </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to the echo of a</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">make-believe god</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> all saints eve . . .</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a nation praying</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to candles</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div></div><div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">no emperor</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the naked boy</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">talking </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">matter of factly</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to throw-away kids</span></div></span><br />
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the monsoon . . .</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">babies on the backs </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of laborers</span></span></div></div><div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i tiptoe</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">inside your larynx</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">like a wren</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">singing songs at your</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">father's funeral</span></div></div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTHvjgdm1yQ3yqErYiRXA8i-fnlewCQU6JK18qX3k5MqfAH42iSynoCaH3z4ieRc01h4sk8hIKd0_akp4CA8J1omgxj1_UdtmqXOIux3BLcQ09s6rjdioGQYSWiA_pLelEyp06sVoKS0o/s1600/longwaytooz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTHvjgdm1yQ3yqErYiRXA8i-fnlewCQU6JK18qX3k5MqfAH42iSynoCaH3z4ieRc01h4sk8hIKd0_akp4CA8J1omgxj1_UdtmqXOIux3BLcQ09s6rjdioGQYSWiA_pLelEyp06sVoKS0o/s640/longwaytooz.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">they live with</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rain every day</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">walking on </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">driftwood causeways</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">over sewage</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">too late</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">this leathery woman</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">without leaves</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><br />
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div></div><div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the smell of</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">roasted corn lures</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">me into </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">thoughts far from the </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">calliope's laughter</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">on the sidewalk,</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">a beggar scrapping</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">winter</div><div><br />
</div><br />
<div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><br />
<div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the dance</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">between us sorts</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">darkness like</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cards in a rigged</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">game of poker</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><br />
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">late night . . .</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">outlining memories</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in red</span></div><br />
<div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">if i could</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">fly like a moth</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i'd soar</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">above the moon</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">into undressed dreams</span></div><br />
<div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">who will eat</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">these molded rolls?</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">autumn cold</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">God cut the</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">strings to the </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">marionette</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i convinced myself</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">was a mirror</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">fish, wind, bugs</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">drawing calligraphy</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in pond phlegm?</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">childless</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">women passing </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">one dream to </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">another in a </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">race between moons</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivEGf_FLb-IbAM3fk5TRX-VKM8LoDpHTqNOBk0V6hi50oLpR3BSl_llERvKc4BWqGldovwkIWlwOZ3p6P290xU-ice0KQKeUsZCSrNlVxak56OZJTeG1yEVH2JrA54T8dqHJc2xRt20lA/s1600/whydoyou.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivEGf_FLb-IbAM3fk5TRX-VKM8LoDpHTqNOBk0V6hi50oLpR3BSl_llERvKc4BWqGldovwkIWlwOZ3p6P290xU-ice0KQKeUsZCSrNlVxak56OZJTeG1yEVH2JrA54T8dqHJc2xRt20lA/s640/whydoyou.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> thunder . . .<br />
a leaf touching<br />
soft loam</span> </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">if i were</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">your ancestor, would</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">you stay after</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the rain to watch </span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a cloud turn tricks?</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sea urchins</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">wait for high tide . . . </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">autumn monks</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">what will i</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">do if your roots</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">shrivel, and</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">branches become</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">chunks of charcoal</span></span></div><div><br />
</div></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<br />
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> incoming tide . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">villagers run from</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the dog catcher</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">how can i</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">forget you lying</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on your side</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with an outstretched cup</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sleeping through winter</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> humid morning . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my wife's lolo</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">eating dilis </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dismantle your</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tent and move into</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the dream</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you dreamt for us</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">polishing lilies</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"># for bill higginson</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i flush the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">mouse i killed . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">day moon</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">after noon</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when heat reminds me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of the path</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i chose for you . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a lily bearing dew</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">does it bother</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you, the repetition?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">october squash</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sadness crawls</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">like a maimed man</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">clutching a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">buddy's dog tags . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the river that was</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">filling empty</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">vessels with air . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">October dawn </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">eyes watch me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">from a field turned</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">inside out . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">black pajamas</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ancestral ashes</span></div><div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9LRiH1V_UbB62zWd89yKXSmi3ct-BsEzH5U9Hp7deaps09OoRFRKhdDLR_fo5ol20DjQpTlcCuiXmWAUwoEzWck6eUpE5zClIj9HKR_TxoFFSMZnLczUhX76BNyqVjEXHwBPsxS5F8p8/s1600/towalkonclouds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9LRiH1V_UbB62zWd89yKXSmi3ct-BsEzH5U9Hp7deaps09OoRFRKhdDLR_fo5ol20DjQpTlcCuiXmWAUwoEzWck6eUpE5zClIj9HKR_TxoFFSMZnLczUhX76BNyqVjEXHwBPsxS5F8p8/s640/towalkonclouds.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br />
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<div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Dali painted me</div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">into someone elseʼs dream</div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">that Spring and walked away</div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
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</div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Spanish Surrealist, Salvadore Dali, is noted for his wild dreamlike</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">paintings that fl irt with madness. Nothing in his paintings are like they</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">seem. On closer look, the viewer sees pictures within pictures, some of</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">them shocking. I was not prepared for what I experienced in Vietnam</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as a teenager just out of high school. I had no idea what the Vietnamese</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">people believed or how they thought. My only realm of experience</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">was my own from back home. As servicemen, we were taught nothing</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">about the Vietnamese. In high school, we learned nothing about</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">their history. Most of us originally didnʼt come to Vietnam to help the</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vietnamese people. We knew nothing about them. We came because</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">we were told that communism was knocking at our door and had to</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">be stopped to avoid a domino effect. I went, I saw, and got my mind</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">blown.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">crossing the Mytho River,</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a sampan with</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">two kinds of eggs</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A sampan chugging across a brown water river</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">fueled by a diesel engine was a common sight.</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Taxis, they ferried people and cargo from one</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">village to another. Passengers sat beside stacked</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">wooden crates laden with produce and poultry.</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Viet Cong used the space below the cargo to</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">smuggle in hand grenades, ammunition, mortars,</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and guns.</span></span></div><div><br />
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</div><div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Autumn dusk -</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">clinging to the sailorʼs shadow,</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">an orphan</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">We <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">looked forward to the weekends. This was our time to go into</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mytho for a little rest and relaxation. Mytho is the nearest port city.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just a few miles from our base. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It was a half hourʼs cruise by</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">patrol boat up the polluted </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Mytho River, a tributary of the</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mekong River. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ashore, we behaved as typical</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sailors, visiting the bars, brothels, </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">restaurants, dance halls,</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and curio shops. In our wake </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">was a cloud of children, hoping</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for handouts of gum and </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">candy. In a way, we were their</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">entertainment for the weekend. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I remember one child well.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She was a nine year old orphan </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">with a bowl shaped hairdo. And</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">what a mouth! She cussed like </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">a sailor and possessed a cocky</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">personality. She also spoke </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">good English. Whenever a certain</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">noncommissioned officer </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">came ashore, sheʼd cling to him</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">like glue to paper. The NCO </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">was the consummate drunk;</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">weaving in and out of the red </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">light district with a bottle of</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Crown Royal whiskey in his </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">hand. She served dutifully as</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">his protector, negotiator, and </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">interpreter. Where he was, she</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">was. In return, he gave her special attention, made her feel important,</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and provided her with food and money. It was as if she had a father.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then the man was shipped Stateside.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jrR1PKLqZDwGPriK9nBut2kMHzJR66Dg0ehPEpVFsX25YYgcyyeTG0K5sdsU9yUW07FLjVNT3oRgWLdLSyjB7nkOF8DMQk-C1U9ucRh-4lkMWZmt3KzcIZDt204_4iROvSHOKb0Vcho/s1600/orphan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6jrR1PKLqZDwGPriK9nBut2kMHzJR66Dg0ehPEpVFsX25YYgcyyeTG0K5sdsU9yUW07FLjVNT3oRgWLdLSyjB7nkOF8DMQk-C1U9ucRh-4lkMWZmt3KzcIZDt204_4iROvSHOKb0Vcho/s640/orphan.jpg" width="366" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Excerpted from Vietnam Ruminations</b></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you would like a free pdf copy of</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this 172 page book. e-mail me at</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">foamfish@gmail.com</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The following free verse performance poem was written</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in 1984 while I was sitting in a dentist's chair waiting for</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the dentist to see me.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ASHES</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">where o where</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">are those thatched roof shacks</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I visited a few years back</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">seems like a dream/distant far-off</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">waterfronts</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">covered with mist/smelling of</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">diesel fuel/churning engines</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">patrol boats/fluttering of hearts</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">joss sticks burning/ancestors burning</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ashes in ceramic urns</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">worshipped, remembered, venerated</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">talked to, questioned</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">separated from sons/soldiers</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">listening and hoping</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">longing</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for no war/no ash</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">reign of buddha</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">mama san on matted floor</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">children calling papa, papa</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in ashes somewhere</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to be gathered, collected</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">remembered</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">no more</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">robert d. wilson</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">©2011</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div></div></div></div>robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-77639699979681467442011-01-17T23:13:00.000+08:002011-01-17T23:13:52.850+08:00Issue #7<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">robert d. wilson's</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">A LOUSY MIRROR</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">A depository of</span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">over three decades of</span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">haiku, tanka, haibun, </span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">haiga, and free verse</span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">performance poetry</span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQktaAnyZ4Tx-SCQqqMPs9LgLBiZuZc3fVPQI7uEsUD9ea2A_imYIM9forOlXROLAr3dv0mGsPhnFMJwOUvoQmHXV9Z6Uq2-RZjHnIues9L64T9YA0p2VNDcO-qRaIjoC3zVlQmCIG0lc/s1600/myfather.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQktaAnyZ4Tx-SCQqqMPs9LgLBiZuZc3fVPQI7uEsUD9ea2A_imYIM9forOlXROLAr3dv0mGsPhnFMJwOUvoQmHXV9Z6Uq2-RZjHnIues9L64T9YA0p2VNDcO-qRaIjoC3zVlQmCIG0lc/s640/myfather.jpg" width="465" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">The man in the haiga above, is</div><div style="text-align: center;">my father, Robert Dean Wilson,</div><div style="text-align: center;">the man who made poetry for me</div><div style="text-align: center;">a spokesperson of the soul.</div><div style="text-align: center;">1925 - 1991</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>I dedicate this issue to</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Professor Micheal F. Marra</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">whose research into Japanese</div><div style="text-align: center;">Hermeneutics and aesthetics</div><div style="text-align: center;">are second to none. Sadly, he</div><div style="text-align: center;">sent me an e-mail last week telling</div><div style="text-align: center;">me he is in much pain and has </div><div style="text-align: center;">approximately six months to live.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">"The willow tree has been traditionally associated with tears, fragility, instability (a reflection). It is also the tree to which an Imperial concubine hung her robe before drowning herself in a pond in the ancient Capital Nara as soon as she had lost the Emperor's favor. There are so many stories associated with willow trees that a poet and a reader of waka [today, called tanka] must know in order to appreciate and understand the meaning of willows If one understands all these implications, he/she is bound to be moved by the willow, and will never look at them with inattentive eyes."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Michael F. Marra</div><div style="text-align: center;">Excerpted from my interview with for Simply Haiku</div><div style="text-align: center;">which also comprises Chapter 20 in one of two</div><div style="text-align: center;">final books, </div><div style="text-align: center;">Essays on Japan</div><div style="text-align: center;">Between Aesthetics and Literature</div><div style="text-align: center;">Published by Brill</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">©2010 </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfjplpZ1U2YoQFqm9I-wGMRU_rjqeYOEDNLL7Fe7UtATDEm2PdxsQwcqcjRfnkcIxdXFsdoFFoKrhV0BQuKkOLmSremGC4yT8auJMDOcQesWk0MSRqo40uabGU7XZga2c9ftY8RwYTOhk/s1600/nightswim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfjplpZ1U2YoQFqm9I-wGMRU_rjqeYOEDNLL7Fe7UtATDEm2PdxsQwcqcjRfnkcIxdXFsdoFFoKrhV0BQuKkOLmSremGC4yT8auJMDOcQesWk0MSRqo40uabGU7XZga2c9ftY8RwYTOhk/s640/nightswim.jpg" width="484" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">can i stay still</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sipping stars from</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a cup of moon?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">breathe me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">like a trumpet solo</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">full of</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">pauses, interludes</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and stretched notes</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">she makes our</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">bed at midnight</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">birthing winter</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">children squat</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in mud under a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cardboard roof</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">befriended by </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a need to sleep</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my breath sings </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stillness into an </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">egret's prayer</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">above </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the floating world</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i sip tea</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with an egret</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">standing in shit</span></div></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tea blossoms . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">at the river washing </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">laundry </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRRNYn90PuWO6YE8MSy2OQgY-oXuQjux2OV7pV2Zm6VyyUFRucczUE-S6lH5H1ANFQ6a3yvvRXKEtolAfi_eIN2qy9q4RsghFAf_B39nAGeoTr4NDqQ19OLzXNuUZHGfu0fJNF5dF-B8U/s1600/foldingchair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRRNYn90PuWO6YE8MSy2OQgY-oXuQjux2OV7pV2Zm6VyyUFRucczUE-S6lH5H1ANFQ6a3yvvRXKEtolAfi_eIN2qy9q4RsghFAf_B39nAGeoTr4NDqQ19OLzXNuUZHGfu0fJNF5dF-B8U/s640/foldingchair.jpg" width="574" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">statuesque, </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the egret, standing</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in mirrors</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">would it</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">be rape to pick </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">petals from </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the blossom of </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an okra plant?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the moon and i</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">have nothing better to do . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">lizard song</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you sleep on </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a makeshift cot </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">above the </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">mud in a canvas</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">too painful to paint</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">lucky catfish </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">he doesn't have to</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">live in a shanty</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what the mud,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the stench, holding</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a candle</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to dreams stolen from </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a barangay captain's soul</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on stilts . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">watching sewage pass</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">beneath us</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">where do </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">butterflies sleep </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">at night </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when the typhoon</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">floods our homes with water?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">heavy rain . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my reflection covered</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with sewage</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOGkBezYeG4IEtD9pTiqrE8uoJ4nX7lxfFZA_WaaXWw0GqjE1xFCYfz-HV8oFr55RU4Qik-Es2QJLSJdkfRDQqDoklF6PVva75teqgjqZyJtPQfDzNzI6S5QncXOkbC5wUMdqr4UwvQ-U/s1600/youweremistaken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOGkBezYeG4IEtD9pTiqrE8uoJ4nX7lxfFZA_WaaXWw0GqjE1xFCYfz-HV8oFr55RU4Qik-Es2QJLSJdkfRDQqDoklF6PVva75teqgjqZyJtPQfDzNzI6S5QncXOkbC5wUMdqr4UwvQ-U/s640/youweremistaken.jpg" width="604" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">we all</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">have memories . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">our lines</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">searching for the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">big one that got away</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 18.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">learning stillness</div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">from an egret's eyes . . . </div><div style="font: 16.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;">october dawn</div></span></div><div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">am i</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">crazy, the walls</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">are speaking</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in tongues in a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cathedral without God?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> autumn night . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i trace the stars</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with your finger</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">eating </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">peanuts, i take my </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">walk in the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cemetary</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">hoping it doesn't rain</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on his back,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a casuality of war . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the cockroach</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the stilt house</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">is too dangerous </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to visit at </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">night; a hundred</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">drunken dragons </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">another </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> sleepless night . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">october rain</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">i breathe with</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tonight's tide on</span></span></div></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">planks stretched</span></span></div></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">across thatched roof huts</span></span></div></div><div style="font-family: Times; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">fastened to heartbeats</span></span></div></div><div style="font-family: Times; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a gaggle </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of stars and</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">longer nights</span></div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0wxlyUlUImrPhQGZwP1z6Zw5y8xL9qMR21KfxgjAbESrYY5Eegkk17yzES0XHCTsAxT8fZfElWSnaOm3itmqINV4m4QkfVjEpRKMJUVg36_Dabc4k7bLu2QOWHnQGXxGc8as-fpmNKsQ/s1600/noroomattheinn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0wxlyUlUImrPhQGZwP1z6Zw5y8xL9qMR21KfxgjAbESrYY5Eegkk17yzES0XHCTsAxT8fZfElWSnaOm3itmqINV4m4QkfVjEpRKMJUVg36_Dabc4k7bLu2QOWHnQGXxGc8as-fpmNKsQ/s640/noroomattheinn.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a giant</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sunflower, the</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">setting sun</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what does she</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">do when her child</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">is hungry</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and a white ghost</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">offers her the world?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rain follows</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">us home to the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">lizard's lair</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what is my</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">daughter thinking</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tonight when </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the dragon blows smoke</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rings </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">around the moon?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> deep morning . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a cockroach covered</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with ants</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">like an owl </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in flight, the mute</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">thrust of</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a knife into</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">another mother's son</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div></span><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.............................................</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sunrise</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">petals replaced</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with skin</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What a difference a morning can make. The night</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">before, a couple friends and I partied in Mytho City, </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an urban center 13 miles west of our duty station in </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Dong Tam. We drank, smoked dope, and caroused with</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">prostitutes, our way of coping with a war we were</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ill equipped to handle.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The morning after, all hell broke loose. Rockets</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">bombarded the base. The sky rained shrapnel. Mortars </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">came from all directions. The enemy attacked when we </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">least expected them to. Soldiers and base workers ran</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in all directions, unsure of where to go, a path of</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">adrenaline in their wakes. To their battle stations </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">or the nearest bunker. Our lives, for a moment, a crap </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shoot without dice.</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Excerpted from Vietnam Ruminations</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">©2003</span></div></span><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWq6oNAJnBru88ZOcfjLtk68blpZLXUasBnNwA-TRs9MNe1MLSBNm6Hy6aTgcnB_X02jnY7RltMubXTMgJtgsLib6zGTXnv_P7pKUr4bN1Sqe8g85kilbETp2VA1ldpSOloiSkxYRVoI/s1600/morningquiet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWq6oNAJnBru88ZOcfjLtk68blpZLXUasBnNwA-TRs9MNe1MLSBNm6Hy6aTgcnB_X02jnY7RltMubXTMgJtgsLib6zGTXnv_P7pKUr4bN1Sqe8g85kilbETp2VA1ldpSOloiSkxYRVoI/s640/morningquiet.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">wishing </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i could </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hold you again </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">again </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i think of you </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">at night </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when wind </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">beckons me </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to enter </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a dream </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">we shared </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">once </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">upon </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a time </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">you </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">placed </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">my hand </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">upon </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">your breast </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">pulled me </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">into a </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">watercolor </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">painting </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that stubbornly </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">refused </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to dry</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">01-10-2004</span></span></div></div></div></div>robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-28733300226431935882011-01-08T18:59:00.000+08:002011-01-08T18:59:48.880+08:00Issue 6<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Robert D. Wilson's</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">LOUSY MIRROR</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A depository for Wilson's haiku, tanka,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">haiga, haibun, and longer free verse</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">performance poetry.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-SQ5FigMQh3OlRSN1jdZrSW7ZbaloMZVXhXm_cKOEORQrid9Uocr3VR7gv3zKdT4JNFNybt9jynNjYazRrIlEwlbni5vlxg461f0w0JG3UN958oVv-6IcX-B3S1XVGlyxFiQav2pg23c/s1600/caterpillar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-SQ5FigMQh3OlRSN1jdZrSW7ZbaloMZVXhXm_cKOEORQrid9Uocr3VR7gv3zKdT4JNFNybt9jynNjYazRrIlEwlbni5vlxg461f0w0JG3UN958oVv-6IcX-B3S1XVGlyxFiQav2pg23c/s400/caterpillar.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a cluster</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of vendors with</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rotting teeth</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wait out the rain . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">snagging syllables</span></div><div><br />
</div><div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a short day . . .</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a bald headed boy </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">raking stars</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i look up</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">from my bed at</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the stars </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that are not there, </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a rat in the rafters</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> deep morning . . .</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">arched backs eat</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">broken rice</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the morning</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the walls turned purple</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God told me</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to come back before</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it was too late</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> stagnant water . . . </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a bargirl drinks herself</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to sleep</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">even here</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in the rat's lair</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a clump of</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">light to ride on</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">later in a dream</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">morning commute . . . </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a woman cutting</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">fish heads</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">patches of</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">moss where rain water</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">flowed into</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the homes of squatters</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">eating broken rice</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">nearing spring</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the cries of fish in</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the wet market</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a warm day</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">she walks under an</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">umbrella</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">like the princess she</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">thought she'd become</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the ulam </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">vendor on her day off . . . </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cooking ulam</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">squatters stand</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in mud buying </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">carrots for</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">tonight's topping </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">over broken rice</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> late afternoon . . .</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and still no sun to</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">stay my dreams</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWILQbn-Lj1sozQULCoiyPj9__2cO_Nx3toItcDRsq_nDk3_1mx-_J5UNpfSw9hJngq9J5jtPU847RVFNdLzgNBH9Cd6fiHn-DQr96Rmqqqiid-Oy9nK67nYr40x-b7KeIks7fu-AcyrE/s1600/betweenlaundry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWILQbn-Lj1sozQULCoiyPj9__2cO_Nx3toItcDRsq_nDk3_1mx-_J5UNpfSw9hJngq9J5jtPU847RVFNdLzgNBH9Cd6fiHn-DQr96Rmqqqiid-Oy9nK67nYr40x-b7KeIks7fu-AcyrE/s400/betweenlaundry.jpg" width="345" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">it's like a</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">part of me took</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">LSD</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and refused to </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">come out and play</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">listening to</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a miles davis tape . . . </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">autumn moon</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">forty years</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">later in asia</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i still hear</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">quiet feet wading</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">across rice fields</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> late night . . . </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a momo dressed</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in fatigues</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">laundry girls</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">drinking water</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in dreams . . .</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">old woman have </span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">between winters</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12px;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">brother paper . . .</span></span></div></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">fold me into</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">an egret</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sentinels</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of the dead, trees</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">bow to those</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">under candles</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dancing with word</span>s</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">salient </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">night . . . a million</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">mute stars</span></div><br />
<div><br />
</div></span></span><br />
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">is it right</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">for a male cat to</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">eat his young</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in a back alley lit</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with christmas lights? </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">refusing to be</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a kigo, this spring . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">flower in autumn</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on the </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">river bottom,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">fish fan</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">their eggs like sushi</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">chefs cooling rice</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">typhoon!</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">umbrellas slither</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">between vendors</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjED1zabw4rSZGwMS93Y3q3ZztLHjE_3dZrJc5cT1eWkyluHCiHkp_yaVekTTw8-OeDXzrCHRHTwpP9_E5H9XbQWXO9imAm1uG00HTqBX5E9yfDxg97OFtEB31HivvAexZhXFKC2SUPZ04/s1600/sunsreflection.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjED1zabw4rSZGwMS93Y3q3ZztLHjE_3dZrJc5cT1eWkyluHCiHkp_yaVekTTw8-OeDXzrCHRHTwpP9_E5H9XbQWXO9imAm1uG00HTqBX5E9yfDxg97OFtEB31HivvAexZhXFKC2SUPZ04/s640/sunsreflection.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the jeepney</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">driver buys a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cigarette </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">from a spectre</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with missing teeth</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> autumn rain . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in his sleep he</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sells peanuts</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my wife</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">washes my body</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">carefully . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the moon tightening</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">her beaded belt</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">harvest moon . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">lola buys two eggs</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">from a vendor</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">men walk down</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the street with towels</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on their heads</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">like zombies in</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a bad movie</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i talk to my</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stuffed animals at the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">moon's behest</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">if you knew</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i talk to stuffed</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">animals</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">would you hang me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in an art gallery?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">poor snail,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">inching home to</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">be eaten</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2TD5Y6drw74JaudV0TWEanRj2fDDoX51jvn5K-yfbBgjPbIJ087mbac-AvXaXK9vj3rKk8_n4dBVlTZmsLcIwl6G2vsj5hC5FGS4FLYhPMNPvtGe_41eAB4gZPJcoxUuH1dEwvCWGR2w/s1600/howcanoneleave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2TD5Y6drw74JaudV0TWEanRj2fDDoX51jvn5K-yfbBgjPbIJ087mbac-AvXaXK9vj3rKk8_n4dBVlTZmsLcIwl6G2vsj5hC5FGS4FLYhPMNPvtGe_41eAB4gZPJcoxUuH1dEwvCWGR2w/s640/howcanoneleave.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">calm now</div><div style="text-align: center;">that her belly is</div><div style="text-align: center;">swollen, she</div><div style="text-align: center;">asks the stars to walk with </div><div style="text-align: center;">her across the rope bridge</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">northeast wind . . .</div><div style="text-align: center;">boys skip stones into</div><div style="text-align: center;">the carp's mouth</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">it rains </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">again like it does</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">every day . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">your reflection</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">mixed with sewage</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a bowl of </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">soup stirred with</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">autumn rain</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">if only you </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">were there to share </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">it with me . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the rain sculpting</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">clouds into egrets</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> clumps of clouds .. .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">inside them, a man</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sculpting blossoms</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on my way </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to the u.s. embassy,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i think of you</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sleeping under a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">table, chasing rabbits</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> old woman . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on your head, the path</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of color </span></div><div><br />
</div><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">a new year</div><div style="text-align: center;">running from the</div><div style="text-align: center;">dragon . . . </div><div style="text-align: center;">my wife thinks</div><div style="text-align: center;">doesn't exist</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">a good friend . . .</div><div style="text-align: center;">quiet, reading</div><div style="text-align: center;">yam leaves</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">snakes peer</div><div style="text-align: center;">through dirty glass windows</div><div style="text-align: center;">at children . . . </div><div style="text-align: center;">borrowed from the</div><div style="text-align: center;">path of color</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwaqYqRYrQt7TI8jSBo-jxxCYAf2YnXbGqgfegJv0dIOKHg7PyO6v3i-YkAlOJoWYcS9Ch1Sl-4Ez3aVOtp-68iKPUQ4ieemcXmkpCtMsIdUrBsL-Dgk6vOUYk77qD1D-XPTpUH_YOGvc/s1600/dreams.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwaqYqRYrQt7TI8jSBo-jxxCYAf2YnXbGqgfegJv0dIOKHg7PyO6v3i-YkAlOJoWYcS9Ch1Sl-4Ez3aVOtp-68iKPUQ4ieemcXmkpCtMsIdUrBsL-Dgk6vOUYk77qD1D-XPTpUH_YOGvc/s640/dreams.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> elm trees . . . </div><div style="text-align: center;">and youth turning</div><div style="text-align: center;">pages</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">it's as if</div><div style="text-align: center;">we'd never met . . .</div><div style="text-align: center;">and breast milk</div><div style="text-align: center;">was a cocktail</div><div style="text-align: center;">saved for circus clowns</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;">my landlord </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">for the night,walls </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">that can't speak</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">across the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sea, my daughter</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">writes to</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">me about the </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wind she set free</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> fresh mangos . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">beside them, a woman</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">passed out</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">invisible,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">this street beggar</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">whose eyes stare</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">past me into the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">fullness of nowhere</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> anima . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a change in</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the wind</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">there is no </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">room for anima</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when the moon</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sells peanuts on a </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">crowded street corner</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> moonless night . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the christmas they'll</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">never have</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i stepped out</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of a keinholtz painting</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">that laughed at </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">reality thinking </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i could save the world</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioHhxcXgLVwhCQD0FXbzYWTPGze61HRYVDvVerado6ucWBBzsJGaKuUv78r-OwG48A50PbE-Fu-hdpzC8QfVCIAXH0ZMlB46OJuHNeSlSrQIdP3jjGaskhNpVnghgggi3oOGfJjiGJOuw/s1600/fadingsun.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioHhxcXgLVwhCQD0FXbzYWTPGze61HRYVDvVerado6ucWBBzsJGaKuUv78r-OwG48A50PbE-Fu-hdpzC8QfVCIAXH0ZMlB46OJuHNeSlSrQIdP3jjGaskhNpVnghgggi3oOGfJjiGJOuw/s640/fadingsun.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">craving batchoy . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in a neighborhood </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of none</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i cannot</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">imagine buddha</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">using</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">kung fu to slaughter</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">jasmine petals</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">carry me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">into a cloud dripping . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with dreams</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i look up</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">at an eternity</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">painted with</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stars, sprouting wings . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sensing a moth's lust</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> a butterfly . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the blossom </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">inside me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what to do</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with the blossom </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">inside my</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">head, fluttering</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">like a butterfly</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> midnight slumber . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sowing stars that leave</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">no footprints</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">candles are</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">lit for me when</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i long to</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">hear their voices . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">amanogawa</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sunrise?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">typhoons are</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">light sleepers!</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">will loved ones</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">light candles and</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> talk to me . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when i'm out of breath</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on a starless night?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyXMDsRXnOA_IQLDpGiRtrEOUvechElbLbCUd7DoFEAZH7DdD0wodfsQNPTYuNFF_y_7wpOCSO4AoPr4AMAfucghI1sCreUEtAsssU1FZv-CFdySZ6ru42U_JQ8P2lUx6Q8D19W5oj_YI/s1600/emptynest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="484" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyXMDsRXnOA_IQLDpGiRtrEOUvechElbLbCUd7DoFEAZH7DdD0wodfsQNPTYuNFF_y_7wpOCSO4AoPr4AMAfucghI1sCreUEtAsssU1FZv-CFdySZ6ru42U_JQ8P2lUx6Q8D19W5oj_YI/s640/emptynest.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">swallowed by the</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">dragon in a dream</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that wasnʼt a dream</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 18.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One day I was cruising the boulevard, doing what other</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">American teenage boys do on weekend nights, my libido</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">on overdrive, listening to Jefferson Airplane, no thought</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for tomorrow; cool and invulnerable; living a life far removed</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">from the nightly news.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The next day, I am disembarking from an airliner in Saigon,</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the capitol of South Vietnam, dressed in fatigues, surrounded</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">by soldiers holding M-16 assault rifl es, the air unbearably hot</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and humid, a world unlike anything Iʼd experienced. I was in</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hell. The dragonʼs belly. A nightmare that would haunt me</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">for the rest of my life.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">robert d. wilson</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">©2003</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A haibun from my e-book, Vietnam Ruminations</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">*Anyone wanting a <b>free</b> e-book copy</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">of this book can contact me via </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">foamfish@gmail.com</span></span></div></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">FREE VERSE PERFORMANCE POETRY</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div>In my last deposit, I announced that I'd include one of my longer free verse performance poems. Lawrence Ferlinghetti, in a personal letter to me which I still have, called this poem:<br />
"Powerful!" <br />
<br />
For decades, I, Terry Busch, and several others belonged to a group called The Wordsmiths. We published The Mindprint Review, and performed our poetry monthly on stage, at universities, in saloons, bars, coffee houses, bookstores, on radio, and cable access television. It was a wonderful time in my life. I'd go on stage, and literally become the poems I read, sometimes accompanying myself paying the blues harp, sometimes with Jazz, and once, my late wife, Ileta, sang Angel Baby in the background. We were hot, we were cool and we had a blast! I feel that we were as were other performing poets of that time, the forerunners of the Poetry Slams.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Guernica</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">:Picasso's horse</div><div style="text-align: center;">writhes in agony</div><div style="text-align: center;">prophet of paint</div><div style="text-align: center;">cries</div><div style="text-align: center;">for an end to war</div><div style="text-align: center;">an end</div><div style="text-align: center;">to women crying in</div><div style="text-align: center;">the streets</div><div style="text-align: center;">children dead or dying</div><div style="text-align: center;">soldiers dying</div><div style="text-align: center;">husbands stilled</div><div style="text-align: center;">forever with plowshare in hand</div><div style="text-align: center;">the innocent always</div><div style="text-align: center;">die</div><div style="text-align: center;">Guernica's horse</div><div style="text-align: center;">war torn prophet</div><div style="text-align: center;">of</div><div style="text-align: center;">Picasso's breast</div><div style="text-align: center;">warns of</div><div style="text-align: center;">fascist minotaurs</div><div style="text-align: center;">socialist minotaurs</div><div style="text-align: center;">mythological "American Express" minotaurs</div><div style="text-align: center;">sitting comfortably</div><div style="text-align: center;">in</div><div style="text-align: center;">Corona Del Mar luxury suites</div><div style="text-align: center;">watching on TV</div><div style="text-align: center;">the dead warrior</div><div style="text-align: center;">the woman in flight/her house in flames</div><div style="text-align: center;">the woman with a dead child in her</div><div style="text-align: center;">arms</div><div style="text-align: center;">cry out in unmuted</div><div style="text-align: center;">terror and agony</div><div style="text-align: center;">Guernica</div><div style="text-align: center;">Picasso's prophet</div><div style="text-align: center;">on</div><div style="text-align: center;">loan to the museum of modern art</div><div style="text-align: center;">cries out</div><div style="text-align: center;">to</div><div style="text-align: center;">New York</div><div style="text-align: center;">The</div><div style="text-align: center;">State of Liberty</div><div style="text-align: center;">faded and chaffed</div><div style="text-align: center;">blind from too many flashbulbs</div><div style="text-align: center;">Rockefeller's New York</div><div style="text-align: center;">Chase Manhattan's New York</div><div style="text-align: center;">Bank of America's New York</div><div style="text-align: center;">televised New York</div><div style="text-align: center;">Time/Life's New York</div><div style="text-align: center;">WAKE UP!</div><div style="text-align: center;">heed Guernica's cry</div><div style="text-align: center;">the quivering cries of a thousand Nagasaki</div><div style="text-align: center;">mothers</div><div style="text-align: center;">holding their lifeless</div><div style="text-align: center;">children</div><div style="text-align: center;">the frightened cry of</div><div style="text-align: center;">Auschwitz</div><div style="text-align: center;">My Lai</div><div style="text-align: center;">Lebanon</div><div style="text-align: center;">the timeless cry</div><div style="text-align: center;">your heart cries if</div><div style="text-align: center;">you have one</div><div style="text-align: center;">dismembered children drained of life</div><div style="text-align: center;">float in your harbor on</div><div style="text-align: center;">cobalt telephone poles</div><div style="text-align: center;">of</div><div style="text-align: center;">apathy's making</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">robert d. wilson</div><div style="text-align: center;">©1984</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">"A strong poem!" Lawrence Ferlinghetti</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div></div></span>robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-19525133364838856612011-01-01T18:29:00.001+08:002011-01-01T22:40:24.291+08:00Issue Number 5<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">robert d. wilson's</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">A LOUSY MIRROR</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">A depository of Wilson's Japanese short form poetry,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">haiga, haibun, and free verse performance pieces.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAaKe04238jfmRJFV5AsTbAfEr1Vqc8N46XOKcf9zVJT_lCRp4x6dbPHASEg3nU7oGG9TJEHxj60vcqAg8xKWC2GZMjMmDQn9R7yN6LK9ZhxmcwpMVLoMSO0yqtcTTMy3fBksezQSXgSM/s1600/whatwillthiswomando.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAaKe04238jfmRJFV5AsTbAfEr1Vqc8N46XOKcf9zVJT_lCRp4x6dbPHASEg3nU7oGG9TJEHxj60vcqAg8xKWC2GZMjMmDQn9R7yN6LK9ZhxmcwpMVLoMSO0yqtcTTMy3fBksezQSXgSM/s640/whatwillthiswomando.jpg" width="491" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and still no</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">moon to guide me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">through blossoms</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">into half lit huts</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">reeking of fish</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">beneath the </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ulam vendor, a monk</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">chastening flies</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on the </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">other side of</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the world</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">leaves talk to you</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in brown whisper</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> twilight dawn . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a dead woman</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">frying tofu</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">she ladles</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">soup over rice</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in a tin </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shack straddling the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">pasig river</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">deep morning . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">raindrops tiptoe past </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">our house</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i light a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">candle to find</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">clarity</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in the cell i've</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">locked myself into</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> autumn noon . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">caught in an old</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dragon's tailwind</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">is this the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dream i dreamt long</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ago when</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">elves danced on blossoms</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">miming crickets?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> high noon . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">new rice watered with</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">exhaust fumes</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what's she</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">thinking, the pregnant </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">girl staring </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">at me with a </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rice field smile?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">still morning . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">chicks hoping the </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">monkey'll feed them . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">she holds my</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">hand at night when </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the dragon</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">passes through me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">coughing memories</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> street children . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">eagles devour</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">their prey</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_c-hFjZw5TWQf5bBDsUySYZHTV6Sf5TrGFbVuXemZgHnzkP0TEWr5c434C_HkKpwfvRmJUkQ07aI4QdZp_tcBIKktHHCm4QWjJkBwgLzWZKTFLp5WgSarQvugnN3sU2revKUrM0KPooE/s1600/justaleaf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_c-hFjZw5TWQf5bBDsUySYZHTV6Sf5TrGFbVuXemZgHnzkP0TEWr5c434C_HkKpwfvRmJUkQ07aI4QdZp_tcBIKktHHCm4QWjJkBwgLzWZKTFLp5WgSarQvugnN3sU2revKUrM0KPooE/s400/justaleaf.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">deep morning</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the light inside of me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">watches late </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">night movies with</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the house lizard</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to be a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cockroach feeding on</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">people's dreams!</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">not to my</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">liking, the dreams</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you dream and </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">plaster on walls</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">claiming to be a mirror</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">between walls,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a cemetery</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">painting blossoms</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tell me i</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">can still dream, walk</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on water</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">without having a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">messiah complex</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">moonlight hangs </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">from my fishing line </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">like wall flowers</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the night we </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cast our hearts into </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">manila </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">de bay and snagged</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a plastic bag</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i wait on a </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">seatless toilet for</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">spring to blossom</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">even the </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dogs eat rice here, have</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">another</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">bowl, chase it down</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with yesterday</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in the floating </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">world of summer, a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">kano courting pesos</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">*Kano: a tagalog slang term for an American</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">she waited</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">until i was gone</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to chasten</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">herself in the mirror</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i refused to be</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">autumn rain . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a kano wipes sweat </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">from his forehead</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">high noon . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">laborers dance </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with leaves</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in a ballroom </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">made of mirrors</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">small snails . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">for those in the rice </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">field, dinner</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">lucky girl!</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">washing laundry in </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a clear </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">water stream </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">without strings</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">.</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">who is she, the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">girl washing laundry in</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a giggling stream?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the sky yawns</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">spewing clumps of clouds</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">into thoughts</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i can sculpt between</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">subway stations</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">late night . . . </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a hummingbird between</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Verdana; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">heart beats</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">is this where</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you belong, egret,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">lodged here</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in my cranium</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">like a stone buddha?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">poor dog,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a cage growing out</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of his head</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">he drinks too</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">many beers beneath </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a paper </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">moon oogling who</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">could have been his sister</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WZzMWIpVswlxbdg4c7hf_rzLMIA066AFb1KiI51uajTyege7KoU8XG5e_fdZy6C7VLeS46w7ErWlO3YFLGiUxWqpjQEBQ_55VOVBe62erjEbJxmNPRnBxofzV3dVzMm6LIJhaFfN5ho/s1600/highnoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8WZzMWIpVswlxbdg4c7hf_rzLMIA066AFb1KiI51uajTyege7KoU8XG5e_fdZy6C7VLeS46w7ErWlO3YFLGiUxWqpjQEBQ_55VOVBe62erjEbJxmNPRnBxofzV3dVzMm6LIJhaFfN5ho/s400/highnoon.jpg" width="351" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">An untitled haibun</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">how I feel?<br />
another damned<br />
illusion?<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Basho came and went, writing this and that, careful not to blemish his status as haiku master extraordinaire . . . talking about lonely seas and crickets living under helmets with young soldier's dreams . . . kept women, peeing horses, weeping fish . . . and me, centuries later, nothing like the master, the un-xeroxed poet he asked us to be, sitting cross-legged on a 500 foot banana leaf covered with fish scales and gossip scrapped from the heels of wannabe Basho's; bearing a soul only Allen Ginsberg would understand, with his angel headed hipsters and a mother who lived in a world Dali would run from or paint . . .</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>walls tremble . . .<br />
blushing from the lyrics<br />
sung by god and frog<br />
<br />
robert d. wilson<br />
<br />
----------------------<br />
The following is the same haibun translated into the Serbian language by Sasa Vazic.<br />
<br />
Хаибун без наслова<br />
<br />
како се осећам?<br />
још једна проклета<br />
илузија?</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Башо је дошао и отишао, пишући ово и оно, пазећи да не поквари свој углед хаику мајстора, изванредног... причајући о усамљеним морима и цврчцима који живе под шлемовима са сновима младих војника . . . бринуо о женама, коњима што мокре, уплаканим рибама... и мени, много векова касније, ни налик мајстору, оригиналном песнику, како је то од нас тражио, који седи прекрштених ногу на листу банане дугом 500 стопа, прекривеном рибљом крљушти и трачевима саструганим са потпетица тобожњих Башоа; са душом коју би могао да разуме само Ален Гинзберг, са својим анђелом на челу упућених и мајком која је живела у свету од кога би Дали или побегао или га насликао...</div><br />
дрхте зидови...<br />
поцрвенели од песама<br />
бога и жабе</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">All poetry, haibun, and haiga on this </span></span></span></div><div style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">blog were written by robert d. wilson</span></span></span></div><div style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Times; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">©2011</span></span></span></div></span></span></span></div><div><br />
</div></span>robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-35226920781795179312010-12-25T01:36:00.000+08:002010-12-25T01:36:34.901+08:00A Lousy Mirror, Issue #4<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">A Lousy Mirror</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">A Depository for the poetry, art,</div><div style="text-align: center;">haiga, haibun, and photography</div><div style="text-align: center;">by</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">robert d. wilson</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCXrEL0HdFdNMb_AV0eDlJMUKrQ6eYobxtHPIml3WPqpoLcTpjku0jrxIOosCBnG5ZetEL-GOasevUq0nicediWE9lOjn-srFmo0nFFt6AN9rNG5HOhlBSQttMIv6yzWdRM0MPNfyzB84/s1600/manicure.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCXrEL0HdFdNMb_AV0eDlJMUKrQ6eYobxtHPIml3WPqpoLcTpjku0jrxIOosCBnG5ZetEL-GOasevUq0nicediWE9lOjn-srFmo0nFFt6AN9rNG5HOhlBSQttMIv6yzWdRM0MPNfyzB84/s400/manicure.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ocean bound . . . </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the river chanting</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">bubbles</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you're</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">accepted here, hated</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">there, a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">whisper leaning</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">against lampposts</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">not the wetness</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i wanted this evening . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">typhoon!</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you feel</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">darkness when light</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wanes, and stars</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dance in circles</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">around the moon </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">thunder and </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">lightening, the war i </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">try to forget</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stuffed</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">animals watch my </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">back like </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">navy seals</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">breathing quiet</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">morning prayer . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">black robed beetles</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">strafing darkness</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">........... for Jinky ...........</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">even when</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dreams fail me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and stars drop </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">from the sky like locusts</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you're there for me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">after a long </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">draught, the spring</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">between moons</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">months pass</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and still no light</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to stay the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">song from its roost</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">above my bedpost</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">autumn noon . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an old man watches</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">trees bow</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">look,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">monks bow to the </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wind in</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a tree-line hemmed </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in with thistles!</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> i sip coffee . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">pondering now in a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rain-swept then</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">this light </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and the darkness</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">threading it . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">lola knew too well</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">our weaknesses</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the dandelion</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">fluff i blew away . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dreams?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">they only</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">seem fragile, the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tiny</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">insects in our </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">world juggling time</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvplQgoZi-e8O5vPQEdh-n_9lvKwXxtqDFluj4DV5tfHspEiT_3whCZtcf4td_VQW5QGsmPpG64XzHcUVXQ99-f8tNK7SWCrBM_AIVGkguVrNdb_sJXIxra9t74NW0Ol2Nc0Vc4VhAe14/s1600/short-winter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvplQgoZi-e8O5vPQEdh-n_9lvKwXxtqDFluj4DV5tfHspEiT_3whCZtcf4td_VQW5QGsmPpG64XzHcUVXQ99-f8tNK7SWCrBM_AIVGkguVrNdb_sJXIxra9t74NW0Ol2Nc0Vc4VhAe14/s320/short-winter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">eating the </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">same dinner nightly,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">squash vendors </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">waiting for</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">someone to attach</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">strings to their</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">limbs, shantytown </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">children caked in mud</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">like an oven,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the shanties . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">high noon</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">between my</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">legs a full moon</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">saved for a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">morning like this</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when dawn quivers</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> twilight dusk . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a changing of</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the guard</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> twilight dusk . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">halo halo</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">children </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">toying with another's </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shadow between takes</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> two bells . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the dead are laid</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to rest</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> tiny eyes</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stagger down the</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">street at night</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">like dancers in</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a vacant ballroom</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> our home . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">greeted at the door</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">by a mouse</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">have i run</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">full circle, dwelling</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">once more</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in a crawl space</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">made of scales?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> moonless night . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">watching a shadow</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">pass through</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i place</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">memories on</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">your finger</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">hoping they won't</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">part with the mist</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in my chest</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a moth lusting</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">for the moon</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you haven't</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">changed; beneath</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the soil</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a stained glass prayer</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">breathing Jesus</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">vendors</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> come and go . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">melding night</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpjeClFUtt4e4H4tl7umj9kxduhED-08Q5EgDeKJTS__ErSO-QtsfQOImgccVh61wKoxcPfCCnfTFcc3j0lyL4rGD00_IJDsmGtEaFGu8VcKD9hCiyNgvbWnRU8-3HTXCUaR-hhYDqyEk/s1600/stubborn-woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpjeClFUtt4e4H4tl7umj9kxduhED-08Q5EgDeKJTS__ErSO-QtsfQOImgccVh61wKoxcPfCCnfTFcc3j0lyL4rGD00_IJDsmGtEaFGu8VcKD9hCiyNgvbWnRU8-3HTXCUaR-hhYDqyEk/s640/stubborn-woman.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the fossil</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">vertebrae of</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">boxed dreams</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in a white box</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">no one opens</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">what's will</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to a now wrapped</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in tea leaves?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the egg i</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ate this morning,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">danced in</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">an old movie</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">with fred astaire</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a spurned,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">lover; sleep painting</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">windows</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">your legs</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">walk in and out</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of clouds</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i painted on pillow cases</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">without numbers</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i caught</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a rainbow, before dawn</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">woke my father</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">when leaves are</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">swallowed and frost becomes</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">your cloak, </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i'll sand the legs</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of paper tables</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">your limbs . . . </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">wrapped around a</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hungry moon</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">undressed, and</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">still the teeth of</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a dragon</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hungering for</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a soldier's breath</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">not the snow . . . </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">just you, sweating words</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">we'll eat later</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to sit</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> at basho's feet . . . </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and dine on</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">words scattered by </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cattle egret's wings</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the flute song</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">of an egret's wings . . .</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">singing water</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is the sun</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">called the moon to</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">justify</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the placement of clouds</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in an empty man's field?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sundown . . . </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">an inebriated</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">melon</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">i feel down</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">again today, after</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">taking meds . . . </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the tree line lower</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">than yesterday</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">twilight dawn . . . </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the scent of rice</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and smog</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can't </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">romance her like i</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">did the</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">night passing cars</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">danced with rabbits</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> monsoon rain . . . </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the dance of a</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">thousand feet</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FS2YTO9RyUgOVIZ7HR8xjPxaCIXDHID3Ip2QiI22_cFHDUkXP_F7-S2ih-iEr01ltr7HuFowX2oz6lh0CfE0YbPniazFTZK-LSZdffIOqhyamuYM7OOilXzBBoSk2SBS0wR35TjHdVg/s1600/dryleaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FS2YTO9RyUgOVIZ7HR8xjPxaCIXDHID3Ip2QiI22_cFHDUkXP_F7-S2ih-iEr01ltr7HuFowX2oz6lh0CfE0YbPniazFTZK-LSZdffIOqhyamuYM7OOilXzBBoSk2SBS0wR35TjHdVg/s320/dryleaves.jpg" width="316" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div>robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-84115580199619837502010-12-20T00:21:00.000+08:002010-12-20T03:23:20.661+08:00A Lousy Mirror, Part 3<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A Lousy Mirror</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>a depository of poetry, art, haibun, photography</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>and haiga by robert d. wilson</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcDJtBFtEOWUJVQe5S5CdgV8EJ5Ie_rQMb4i-Cq3Izx1IsmgPhEqo1ZyBncExYh7K6Gv1eVuKxpMaoiCN77fBA_0bjJV_cvBXqCN5x3RzjV0eoUf0WuG45KUeCarI91-R0B4p92A9xKuo/s1600/oz.smaller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcDJtBFtEOWUJVQe5S5CdgV8EJ5Ie_rQMb4i-Cq3Izx1IsmgPhEqo1ZyBncExYh7K6Gv1eVuKxpMaoiCN77fBA_0bjJV_cvBXqCN5x3RzjV0eoUf0WuG45KUeCarI91-R0B4p92A9xKuo/s640/oz.smaller.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b></b></span></div><b></b><br />
<b><div style="color: #121212; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #121212; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what did she</span></div><div style="color: #121212; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dream as a child</span></div><div style="color: #121212; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the carrion </span></div><div style="color: #121212; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">scented woman</span></div><div style="color: #121212; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">across from me?</span></div><div style="color: #121212; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #121212; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #121212; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> shantytown . . . </span></div><div style="color: #121212; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">playing in a typhoon's </span></div><div style="color: #121212; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><b></b></span><br />
<b><div style="color: #121212; display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">afterbirth</span></div></div></b></div><div style="color: #121212; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">orphan </span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">annie-eyed and dead</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the gray haired</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">beggar laying in the</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stairway gulping blanks</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> wading through</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the palengke . . . </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><b></b></span><br />
<b><div style="color: #010000; display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">heavy rain </span></div></div></b></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">we don't</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">waste rice she said</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">between bites</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with a coolness i</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">hadn't seen before</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">twilight. . .</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">lapping winter with</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the dogs</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> giving birth . . . </span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the spent look in</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">her face</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sowing stars from</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a far away field</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> twilight dawn . . . . . . </span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">pouring vinegar in</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">plastic bags</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">lola sleeps </span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on the sidewalk in </span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a cardboard</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">coffin waiting for </span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the night to eat her</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-aQIsmmm8wrQks6NCGQtE215-O1VHpHzg34T8EY1iNEgZN74QsdPzDIIrfG9N5E65uSKOxvFDJUdNFc7huHF061FFIICEzjodZCBN80bFtuFWZvq7SuwYXII1CQC5FfPqJggdqrrQuo/s1600/rigid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho-aQIsmmm8wrQks6NCGQtE215-O1VHpHzg34T8EY1iNEgZN74QsdPzDIIrfG9N5E65uSKOxvFDJUdNFc7huHF061FFIICEzjodZCBN80bFtuFWZvq7SuwYXII1CQC5FfPqJggdqrrQuo/s640/rigid.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">seeing you</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">without make-up . . . </span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">morning glory </span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> a long day . . . </span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">field laborers </span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">fasten stars</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to the under belly of</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a snail shaped moon</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> night blossoms . . . </span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">watching a bargirl </span></div><div style="color: #010000; font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">undress</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5h7dOdQqPI7_SidefatKneJQpubO3bxySxN0CCMK3TyFTpjtVEUvY1UNyLvBV6dIcz2NYjpJYOpUmYs0JIxswMr9-0sR6LY9hxlwPiMAp4puS2v7K927nubTlxEJ5qIGq6zPS52bN_sA/s1600/christmaslights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5h7dOdQqPI7_SidefatKneJQpubO3bxySxN0CCMK3TyFTpjtVEUvY1UNyLvBV6dIcz2NYjpJYOpUmYs0JIxswMr9-0sR6LY9hxlwPiMAp4puS2v7K927nubTlxEJ5qIGq6zPS52bN_sA/s640/christmaslights.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><b></b></span><br />
<b><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a part of</span></div></div></b></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the fly, my eyes,</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">scouring</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">darkness for</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">pockets of mist</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">soldiers clutch</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stillness in an elephant </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">grass whisper</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my friend's spouse</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">goes out for a smoke</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the moment </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">she was told their </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">baby has down's syndrome</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a mad woman</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">teasing vendors on the</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">back of a giraffe!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">hydrangea</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">talk to one another</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on the </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shoreline like women</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in a public restroom</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">try another</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">song, cicada,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">punk rock's out!</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">this is heat</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when rivers become</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tiny strings</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wrapped around a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an old man's waist</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">-------------</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><b></b></span></span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">The Palengke</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">A haibun</span><br />
</span></span></span></span></div></div></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"></div></b><br />
<b><div style="text-align: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-weight: normal;"><b><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">late noon . . . <br />
brother rat gives thanks to<br />
god for the <br />
meal many people<br />
here can't afford<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"> <br />
<br />
</span></span></span></span></div></span></div></b></span></span></div></b></span></div></b></span></div></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-weight: normal;"><b><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="color: #121212; display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="display: inline !important;"></div><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 12px/normal 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Palengke (open wet market) is the hub of the shantytown I lived in for over a year in Metro Manila. Dozens of people looking for the best fruit, the cheapest price, the right cut of this or that . . . a circus without benches</span></span></span></div><br />
</span></div></b></span></div></b></span></div></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="color: #121212; font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"></span></div><br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
It's always summer here, hot and humid, refrigeration, a rich man's dream. Nothing stays fresh for long. Live fish die, their odor, rancid. Beef, chicken, and pork go bad.<br />
<br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">late night . . .<br />
the charcoal seller,<br />
a starless sky</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
The palengke's cement slab floors are covered with fish scales, blood, meat drippings, signaling rats and stray cats to make their moves<br />
<br />
I lived in and most Filipinos live in poverty without flush toilets and sewage; the water, thick with ecoli . . .The smell of disease staggering like a monitor lizard after swallowing a small cat.<br />
<br />
</span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxtYXhkXRLwMBEoycBQEUkRK9H3WYb7r1gNv_83zEvYrh7uhUHGNvOl_FrERCXHduIMuFi1kBLtPQbliaWfqM5RAS8g8-eOxTZklxcJrkyzzaShRdwhgo4o0VonpfB4S7kHb_Jdd7eoM/s1600/wiltedleaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRxtYXhkXRLwMBEoycBQEUkRK9H3WYb7r1gNv_83zEvYrh7uhUHGNvOl_FrERCXHduIMuFi1kBLtPQbliaWfqM5RAS8g8-eOxTZklxcJrkyzzaShRdwhgo4o0VonpfB4S7kHb_Jdd7eoM/s640/wiltedleaves.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
Poverty has taught Filipinos to eat every part of an animal, including the blood of the carabao and cows, which they use to make an ink black entree called blood stew (dinagong).<br />
<br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Our unborn<br />
baby, a dream she<br />
will erase . . .<br />
her dress sewn from<br />
shattered mirrors</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
When it rains, it rains. Last year, during a typhoon, my mother in-law's shanty was flooded with three feet of putrid smelling water that ruined her furniture. When the average income here is approximately $75 - $100 monthly, replenishing furniture can take years.<br />
<br />
Living in a shanty town is like living in a dream Dali couldn't conceive of, or a Hell Dante would be unable to describe. . . a hell Rosa Parks, Mother Theresa, Allen Ginsberg, Charles Bukowski, the survivors of the genocide of Serbians by American supported troops, and the refugees from Africa's Congo region know too well . . .<br />
<br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a plastic<br />
manger set on fire<br />
by circus<br />
clowns in SM's<br />
mall of asia</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
Children here die from sicknesses easily curable in Western Europe and North America. Old women without relatives, sleep on sidewalks like winos on skid row, and students in school, if they can afford a uniform, stare at the lucky ones during noon break who can afford to eat a lunch.<br />
<br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the island<br />
i've exiled myself on<br />
a pyre<br />
fueled by coconut husks<br />
and hand carved gods</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
Overdose on LSD, experience hallucinations that talk, scream, taunt and echo . . . a world where your sense of reality is turned inside out. Sleep with cockroaches and rats, wake up to dengue carrying mosquito bites spread over your arms and legs . . . babies having babies, people dying in their fifties and sixties, dreams confined to television sets that families in the slums share; 17 to 18 year old daughters selling their souls to overweight, demanding white men aged 50, 60, and over 70, to support their families . . . many never seeing their homeland again.<br />
<br />
</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jimi, play<br />
a concerto for me . . .<br />
dry leaves</span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
<br />
"Take me for a trip upon your magic sailing ship, " sang the Byrds in the 60's, but please, not to a Hell the press or the church wont talk about for fear of embarrassing corrupt politicians, the rich who buy them off, and the lazy, graft loving police (pulis) who tell motorists to pay them a bribe or lose their license.<br />
<br />
death poem?<br />
add it to a pile<br />
of leaves</span></span></span></div><div><br />
</div>---------------------------<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">without his</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">plumes, the peacock</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">too would sleep </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">alone in a</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">bed above the mud</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> eternity . . . </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the distance between</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">two mirrors</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">she weaves</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">anger into</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">her headband</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">jousting clouds and</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">paper dragons</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> high noon . . . </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a peacock passing</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wind </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my lithe wife . . . </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what does this tell </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">me about </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the buddha's broom?</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Times;"><b><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="display: inline !important;"></div></span><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="display: inline !important;"></div></span><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">twilight autumn</span></div></div></b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ47klXwnUBiLaPCTxpx4uz2nrbc9-Rc-iYh5Cq57Zb7E8m1og19-MTJqIMNS4bkwE-UnnvsZHlFL3LmxR6hAY6TaB5SnnsXJbYSosNaPuK-ucsD-8WePnb-rX3LaCocnhGVLKMTZNa5o/s1600/THENOW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ47klXwnUBiLaPCTxpx4uz2nrbc9-Rc-iYh5Cq57Zb7E8m1og19-MTJqIMNS4bkwE-UnnvsZHlFL3LmxR6hAY6TaB5SnnsXJbYSosNaPuK-ucsD-8WePnb-rX3LaCocnhGVLKMTZNa5o/s640/THENOW.jpg" width="468" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ff092d; font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate;"> </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ff092d; font-family: Arial;"><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">would moths chase</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">you, moon, if the light</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">you sing . . . </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">fell short of syllables </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">and night became day?</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">in the space</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">between moons, a </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">shadow tracing stars</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">the fly who </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">thinks she's a carabao</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">nibbles </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">on the roses placed</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">above my headstone</span></span></div></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The following is a haibun excerpted</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">from my chapbook, Tanka Fields, </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">about one of the most poignant </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">moments in my life, the day I left</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">for Vietnam.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">she whispers to me,</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this winter night,</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">from sallow pools</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">left on the runway of that</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">could have been</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ll never forget the first time I saw my mother </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">cry. I’d received orders to fly to Saigon, the </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">capital city of the Republic of South Vietnam.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My tour of duty was for one year. I would be</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in the heart of the war that was sending sol-</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">diers home in pine boxes on a daily basis.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of them we knew. In January of 1968,</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I boarded a commuter plane in Long Beach,</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">California, near where I’d lived most of my</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">life, on the first leg of the journey. I turned </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">around to wave to my mother. She was </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">standing on the runway, weeping, wav-</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ing halfheartedly, hoping and praying that I</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">would come back to her alive in one piece. I</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">never doubted my mother’s love from that</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">day on. When she passed away in 1997, at </span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the age of 70, I was holding her hand,</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">returning the tears.</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Dedicated to my mother, </b></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Mrs. Barbara Helaine Wilson</b></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><br />
</b></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Times; font-weight: normal;"><b></b></span></b></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><b><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="color: #121212; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><b><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ff092d; font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><b><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="color: #121212; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span></div></span></div></b></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Times; font-size: small;"><b></b></span></div><b><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="color: #121212; display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ff092d; font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate;"></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ff092d; font-family: Arial;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">he lays in</span></span></div></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div></b><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">his own vomit, dead </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">to the world </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">he thought he could </span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">paint with closed eyes</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">robert d. wilson</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">©2010</span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
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<div style="font: 12.0px Times New Roman; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Times; font-weight: normal;"><b></b></span></b></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><b><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ff092d; font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate;"></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ff092d; font-family: Arial;"><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div></b>robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-70343936170100180152010-12-10T14:55:00.000+08:002010-12-10T14:55:59.528+08:00Lousy Mirror<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYYqM3-0j-XsnJNyJ0d8GsKKh1G2tiwUwUpSbazkCW53ImYyy6_lWg_-vgxZBjUPetM4-GQ3L7q_31tjXf-N2Dj93aWs2PG_OFQYPXL3o0Ln3jkB2YyNfsxW3s68vgAEzGQcPWb5ovzQ/s1600/lousymirror.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLYYqM3-0j-XsnJNyJ0d8GsKKh1G2tiwUwUpSbazkCW53ImYyy6_lWg_-vgxZBjUPetM4-GQ3L7q_31tjXf-N2Dj93aWs2PG_OFQYPXL3o0Ln3jkB2YyNfsxW3s68vgAEzGQcPWb5ovzQ/s400/lousymirror.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a kinsman</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">to the reeds,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the egret . . .</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">planted in a</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">soldier’s ashes</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">these gnats . . .</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">how many have wisped by</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">human bridges?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">she whispers to me,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">this winter night,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">from sallow pools</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">left on the runway of that</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">could have been</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">morning darkness . . .</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">listening to stuffed</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">animals sing</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i bow to</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">no one, typhoon, except</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to God; a </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a jeepney fording across</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ash clogged streams </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">walang typhoon . . . </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an old man sucking</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shellfish</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">is he</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">senile, the old</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">man talking</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to stuffed animals</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">or . . . married?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">late autumn . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">chancing wetness</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with a kiss</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">she stood </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in front of the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">kitchen sink </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shuffling leaves like </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an old west card shark </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">she lured dawn</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">down a highway lined</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with colored lights</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">daddy said</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">it was "cool" to </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">eat dried fish</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in the theater watching</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">samurai movies</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">before dawn . .. </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the melody </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of pork fat</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dogs lay</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">beside their own shit</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in cages</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">washed two days ago in</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a lazy man's dream</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">spit me out, </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">old foe, into</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">winter's maw</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">she went to</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sleep with empty </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">captions </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">above her head and no</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">one to fill in the blanks</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-CfztBzM7bQo7zoVTCzWpXxXeJOf9FkzGENgfLFcd3s8GOb5V0Y84-gVmo2tLgy6h200-k-BH0mTV6giZu3TNvDoT2rBxvr8-NvT1TKdJw-zXilNjGFJRD5LTfWh6JXCcO-aTa7Yn1Y/s1600/quixote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-CfztBzM7bQo7zoVTCzWpXxXeJOf9FkzGENgfLFcd3s8GOb5V0Y84-gVmo2tLgy6h200-k-BH0mTV6giZu3TNvDoT2rBxvr8-NvT1TKdJw-zXilNjGFJRD5LTfWh6JXCcO-aTa7Yn1Y/s640/quixote.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">jeepneys . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the stop start of</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">autumn rain</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stir with me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the field grass like</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a junk</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">setting sail in</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">alphabet soup</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">lite breeze . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an ancestor's </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">gentle urging</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">late at night</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">her shadow scalds</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the wine her</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">husband sipped with</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a young mistress</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the pasig river .. . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">times when monkeys</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">screeched</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">staring out</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the window of</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a cheap</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">hotel at the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">pasig river</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">twilight dawn . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i woke up to a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">river coughing</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dancing leaves . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">there was a time </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">when your eyes</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">told me to wait in </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the other room </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the moon and </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">its crinkled face . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tired vendors</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i saw you</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">again this morning,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">clinging to</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rules you have</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">trouble following</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">is it morning?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my reflection</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">growing moss </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">............</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">for my son, EJ</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">one of these</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">days the horizon </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">will be </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cloudless like the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">day i first held you</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> cockroaches . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wait for their share of </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the autumn noon</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the dance of </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">maggots beneath </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the dragon's </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">belly, singing yesterday</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i felt your breath</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> sunrise . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a carabao</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">spraying flies</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsU3-JCjjvVoj19z2x-MZFakvj9V9KyJ4K1xZdhowRSxRfLraqJ_o70N-cgFnOolnpZDxNVGn90bjcWThDRrLlXMbMGlQ_XzRQFatysWEu20zOI2CtK8POtJMv9dH93UUwPxphKLN6PdM/s1600/winter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsU3-JCjjvVoj19z2x-MZFakvj9V9KyJ4K1xZdhowRSxRfLraqJ_o70N-cgFnOolnpZDxNVGn90bjcWThDRrLlXMbMGlQ_XzRQFatysWEu20zOI2CtK8POtJMv9dH93UUwPxphKLN6PdM/s400/winter.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in her bowl </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a thousand eyes</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">pretend</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to be a brother</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to the carabao</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> clear water . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a leech attached</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to my ankle</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">is that you,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sun, tossing dreams </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">from the back</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">door of a jeepney on</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">its way through the clouds?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">under</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the water, lovers</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">catching stars</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">lazy man!</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the vendor's dreams</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tied to </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a dead weight and . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">you steal from him</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> before dawn . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shredding fish with a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dry whisper</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">early autumn . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">not the storm but</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">words </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">pushing clouds into</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cherry blossoms </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the coarse dreams </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of an old soldier . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">polishing headstones </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">just a few</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tonight, walk up</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and down</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">C. Molina Street . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">manananggal!</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">broken rice . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a weathered woman </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">milling autumn</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">again</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the rain in my </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dreams </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">replenish the mirrors </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">that gave them birth</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">morning quiet . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a dream going through</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the loops</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what dream?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the sad cry of </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the suka </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">vendor treading </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">knee deep through water</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">deep morning . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">trikes circle the mouth </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of a catfish </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i tread through </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">nightmares into</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a morning</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">served to me in</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a broken tea cup</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">follow some-</span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">one else, dragon . . . </span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 13px/normal Arial; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">autumn leaves</span></div><br />
<div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">out of the </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">evening, a star lighting</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">paths i dared </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">not dream til now . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the caterpiller's cry!</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">late night . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the pasig river</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">turning tricks</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">talk to me,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">moon, while others</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sleep</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">through dreams painted</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on brown paper bags</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">twilight dawn</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a carabao</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">plowing mirrors</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">walk with me</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">into the dragon's bowels;</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">feel what i </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">smell, taste what i</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">hear . . . and BE!</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">follow some-</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">one else, dragon . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">autumn leaves</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_fBLXUu7foKLBofeQKlg_d4x5vA25GyZl8uFOdPKho_1N9jshyphenhyphensYYN5pxo9TSZJOSRk5kDadRVUDb-yAoHZAl7N9WAiJCyfuF-rPNVoQ1V4v8fX2qYdqfZp5jWDHhI_GJk2BpVX5My8/s1600/morning-quiet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs_fBLXUu7foKLBofeQKlg_d4x5vA25GyZl8uFOdPKho_1N9jshyphenhyphensYYN5pxo9TSZJOSRk5kDadRVUDb-yAoHZAl7N9WAiJCyfuF-rPNVoQ1V4v8fX2qYdqfZp5jWDHhI_GJk2BpVX5My8/s640/morning-quiet.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small;">how I feel?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">another damned<br />
illusion?<br />
<br />
Basho came and went, writing this and that, careful not to blemish his status<br />
as haiku master, extraordinaire . . . talking about lonely seas and crickets living under helmets with young soldier's dreams . . . kept women, peeing horses, weeping fish . . . and me, centuries later, nothing like the master, the un-xeroxed poet he asked us to be, sitting cross-legged on a 500 foot banana leaf covered with fish scales and gossip scrapped from the heels of wannabe Basho's; bearing a soul only Allen Ginsberg would understand, with his angel headed hipsters and a mother who lived in a world Dali would run from or paint . . .<br />
<br />
walls tremble . . .<br />
blushing from the lyrics<br />
sung by god and frog<br />
<br />
robert d. wilson</span></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</div>robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5841618903029931031.post-48889493527931586212010-12-04T21:43:00.000+08:002010-12-04T22:11:54.057+08:00A Lousy Mirror<div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">beneath your</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">skin, a father</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tilling</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">soil with tears </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">he won't show you</span><br />
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</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipge_9WQUCPlokOVdd0mJJ_QKcx0fb0JiJbLgyOg-j-l_L9YMdEmzscvfK5xqlUECtIZAQk1QGYMPLe4cAfmRXYoPzqE_hDsb1So23KMw0n9LmVuIUJcYyZV33TCDBkZCDRSBnN286g4g/s1600/endlesssummer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipge_9WQUCPlokOVdd0mJJ_QKcx0fb0JiJbLgyOg-j-l_L9YMdEmzscvfK5xqlUECtIZAQk1QGYMPLe4cAfmRXYoPzqE_hDsb1So23KMw0n9LmVuIUJcYyZV33TCDBkZCDRSBnN286g4g/s320/endlesssummer.jpg" width="317" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">oh, to be an</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">egret passing angels . . . </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">amanogawa</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">these are </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my words, not a</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">plastic </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">smile dangling in </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">front of cowards!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">be still . . . </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">brother cockroach </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">is passing</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a peacock</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">breastfeeding her</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">baby to</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the lullaby</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of passing cars</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">crickets in</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">bunkers tapping</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">out psalms</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sailing </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">through a sailor's</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dream</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to the hell dante</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wouldn't talk about</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> autumn noon . . . </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the rustle of a</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">carabao's tail</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">haunted at</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">night when children</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">lay in bed</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">staring at closets</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">filled with monsters</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sunset . . .</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">holding a soldier's</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">entrails</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">unable to</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sleep, i listen to</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">godzilla</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">for the seventh</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">time this evening</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;">cloudy night . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sleeping with a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">restless moon</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the same </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">words above your</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">head in a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">caption borrowed</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">from my ex-wife</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">she leaps into</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the milk fish's mouth . . . </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with a candle</span></div></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the stench of </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dragons, the drone </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of locusts, </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a laborer bowing</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to mirrors</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">morning quiet . . . </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the field holds</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">its breath</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">this river</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">will never sing like</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the ganges . . . </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">her quiet sold to</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the highest bidder</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUH3oJoA91BJ6GBQkiRwCptmwoho0Le-W-9NtzGvnQ6L12KP3KmovI5JNXoPYzVuNIlNz62XtANrwX-qgMd7W19ohkV3PZa3bdsFDgbmVLvn1kQ8bfQmZpTuu4OsdFTdP-Hm528OfvIHU/s1600/Robert+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUH3oJoA91BJ6GBQkiRwCptmwoho0Le-W-9NtzGvnQ6L12KP3KmovI5JNXoPYzVuNIlNz62XtANrwX-qgMd7W19ohkV3PZa3bdsFDgbmVLvn1kQ8bfQmZpTuu4OsdFTdP-Hm528OfvIHU/s320/Robert+cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">listening . . .</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a gnats whispers </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">between breaths</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dancing nude </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with guys who want </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to be girls</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">at the wonderland</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">amusement park</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">gray skies . . .</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">she takes her time</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. . . undressing</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">eden passed</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">me today on her</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">way to the</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">airport to catch a</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a flight to america</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sultry night . . . </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rockets whistle</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">at me!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">let pigs fly!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i'm tired of playing</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">house with you</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in a castle</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">made of wheat straw</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">gray skies . . .</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sipping coke zero in a</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">videoke bar</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAE5rhcu8GhY71DD-mQgXSOBLn6UgwZ2NfsBSOP8g6usIMuHbCBW1ce2hxS07K7gHpBk-GrxkLxkmCQFfV5MLfasvh53vZ89De1QJjqP1ND836m0x2OjVy2W7kVmJiKFnW-TzUj_Ygjy8/s1600/fallow-ground.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAE5rhcu8GhY71DD-mQgXSOBLn6UgwZ2NfsBSOP8g6usIMuHbCBW1ce2hxS07K7gHpBk-GrxkLxkmCQFfV5MLfasvh53vZ89De1QJjqP1ND836m0x2OjVy2W7kVmJiKFnW-TzUj_Ygjy8/s320/fallow-ground.jpg" width="282" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my inner</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">child hangs from </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a rubber </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">tree in vietnam</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">singing, "that's all"</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">early morning . . . </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stars sip moonlight</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with the boys</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">those eyes!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a television set</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">playing</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">old movies in</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a cheap motel</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">summer storm . . .</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an old rat lights</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">incense</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ulam and </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">rice; a worn out</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">moon sings</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">karaoke over</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the pasig river</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sell peanuts </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to no one's child,</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">don't pass go,</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wade through your own</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">vomit and . . . SMILE!</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">mowed grass . . .</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a half naked boy</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">digging sand</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what will the</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dead man say when</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">his house is</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">torn down to make</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">room for the living?</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">full moon . . . </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a prisoner peeing</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">syllables</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a cockroach</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">talks to me in</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the dream i</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">had last night . . .</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">waiting for the scalpel</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0X1WPEuXK7K9sx3VgC5y1u5ipa81GYBRLClz-5kdd_H7_K9fWK3n1bhG6VLSEL_PAGbQ-D7qIsS1GbQYnYiPNnPhqlY-xK44z87DxUo0K1CAMH777cjT0dAiOx3x2kYYyvhZN7YNfHqE/s1600/Albatross2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0X1WPEuXK7K9sx3VgC5y1u5ipa81GYBRLClz-5kdd_H7_K9fWK3n1bhG6VLSEL_PAGbQ-D7qIsS1GbQYnYiPNnPhqlY-xK44z87DxUo0K1CAMH777cjT0dAiOx3x2kYYyvhZN7YNfHqE/s320/Albatross2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the naked </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">boy with a hair-lip</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. . . and rain</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">does he dream,</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the beggar on </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the busy </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sidewalk sleeping with</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an out-stretched cup?</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a couple</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stretching shadows</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">into dawn</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">only the</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">waterfall in</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">my mind</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sings to me when</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">jeepneys drone</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">after dark . . . </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a beggar changing</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shadows</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the old</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">woman selling</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dried fish</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">swats flies with</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a make-shift moon</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in the highway,</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">selling cigarettes . . .</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">one at a time</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">---------</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(for my daughter, krissy)</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">at the dock</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wondering what </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to do with</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the line mooring</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">what's left of her</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">those eyes . . . </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">pools of thought playing</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with fire</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">chastity . . . </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the gray skies of </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">morning </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">lighting incense</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to cloud buddhas</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">quiet! </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the pond is</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. . . whispering</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">mirrors</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">bow in the field</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to clouds </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">on their way to</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the palengke</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> autumn morning . . . </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a pond moving</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shadows</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">her </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">reflection at </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dawn . . .</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">pushing clouds</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">into dog shaped huts</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a gray-eyed </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">woman weaves herself</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">into autumn</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> autumn rain . . .</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">father followed</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sticks </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of incense through </span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">paper lanterns</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">milk fish asked</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">me if he could eat</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">her shadow</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZcQ0BPpkpPjn9r0DopodZLwMBEsSmDX9h1HdO51mBTT2R1jiZIToEXKIIgjET9Zxt82d_9PKxaiRybgjMAm_lUBi8IexCjiJrsIPdfdRPSMml6BKHjBZROFnezE112vGOgDn69Twg9U/s1600/greenmamba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZcQ0BPpkpPjn9r0DopodZLwMBEsSmDX9h1HdO51mBTT2R1jiZIToEXKIIgjET9Zxt82d_9PKxaiRybgjMAm_lUBi8IexCjiJrsIPdfdRPSMml6BKHjBZROFnezE112vGOgDn69Twg9U/s1600/greenmamba.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">walang cafe . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i sent them home</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in paper </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">jeepneys lit with</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">votive candles</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">this evening,</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">like all the others . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">dark!</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">quiet between</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stars, the child</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with a hair-lip</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">gulping darkness</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">sitting at</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an empty table . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the fish seller</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">our house guest</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">stares at me through a </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">crack in the </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wall like the villagers</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">of south vietnam</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">twilight dawn . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a pod of shadows</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">cross stitch clouds</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an add-free</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">promise behind </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">every</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">curtain, dangling</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">from her nose ring</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">twilight . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wading through a</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">frog's belly</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">behind her </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">smile, a child watching</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the same</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">video over</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and over and . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">twilight . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a tadpole swimming</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">upriver</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEG60XktYjg8m_74ztiqoBsOOaKQSulpWyY6Z5AXmSY9-9VSVWAiPRxroxL_Ys1yq0kOuhJD2TKpYE3eat6H98ejQTqWyNzlrau8BKoOZ5UcHMpvgHZCJnqmYkzJBxTvDNOgF50Exy1-0/s1600/photo-4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEG60XktYjg8m_74ztiqoBsOOaKQSulpWyY6Z5AXmSY9-9VSVWAiPRxroxL_Ys1yq0kOuhJD2TKpYE3eat6H98ejQTqWyNzlrau8BKoOZ5UcHMpvgHZCJnqmYkzJBxTvDNOgF50Exy1-0/s320/photo-4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">darkness . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">wondering what to</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">do with thoughts</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">parading through </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">me into walls</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">that tree</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">without leaves . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">heavy rain</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">friends beg</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">me to come back</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">before</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">it's too late, my</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">vomit chanting tantras</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><div style="color: #090909; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">turtle . . . </span></div><div style="color: #090909; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">your shell a sanctuary</span></div><div style="color: #090909; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">made of stars</span></div><div style="color: #090909; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #090909; font: 11.0px Lucida Grande; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">she glares at</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">me as if the world</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">is her lair</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and lions have </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">every right to roar </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">nightfall . . .</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">the same old</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">bowl of rice</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">i bow to</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">no one, typhoon, except</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to God; a </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">a jeepney fording across</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">ash clogged streams </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">walang typhoon . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an old man sucking</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shellfish</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">is he</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">senile, the old</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">man talking</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">to stuffed animals</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">or . . . married?</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">late autumn . . . </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">chancing wetness</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">with a kiss</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 15.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">she stood </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">in front of the</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">kitchen sink </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">shuffling leaves like </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">an old west card shark </span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">robert d. wilson</span></div><div style="font: 13.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">©2010</span></div><br />
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</div>robert d. wilsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00801749917310024661noreply@blogger.com0