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</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><u><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">As </font><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><font size="3">usual, your
piece is real. It comes right from the gut and heart, and there isn’t any
bullshit. It is a mirror into part of the writers world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">I’ve made some suggestions that fit my taste,
but the piece is great just the way it is.<o:p></o:p></font></b></font></u></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
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</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">LETTING Go AND HOLDING ON</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">When winter comes, I clean my home </font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">And turn to face Spring with a lighter load.</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">And
turn to Spring with a lighter load. <o:p></o:p></font></font></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">(Leave
out, “turn to).<o:p></o:p></font></font></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">In old age I need less</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Of life’s daily clutter:</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Cherished books now sit on friends’ shelves</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Leave
out (now).<o:p></o:p></font></font></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Or hide like gems in library book sales.</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">My size six jeans go to a thrift shop</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Along with my hope of being so slender again.</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">You
can leave out (again)<o:p></o:p></font></font></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">My sofa and dishes will outlive me,</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">And I don’t want the trendy coffeemaker my
husband covets.</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">What I long to keep slips through </font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">my hands at an alarming speed:</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Leave
out (an).<o:p></o:p></font></font></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">My husband sinks deeper into depression and
pain.</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Two more friends tell me of advanced cancers.</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Cats and dogs I still miss are ashes
underground</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><font size="3">You
can leave out (still).</font></u></b><u><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">If you
miss them, than you still do.<o:p></o:p></font></u></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">But for Laurence who lovingly guides me</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Through life’s real and metaphorical mazes.</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">I hold today in cupped hands, grateful for</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">One more day to fill with kindness</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">And prayers for all our aging selves.</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">This
last line really hits home.<o:p></o:p></font></font></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv6353628330msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
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