<div style="font-size:10pt;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:black;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">This is a unique poem about despair and
hope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">The writers abilityh to write is
parralized<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">by</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">all the depressing things that are going on
in her life. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">But not so parralized as not to
recognize<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">the ellements embedded</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">in the surrounding dreariness as the very
things that will be the subjects of her renewed writing. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">The title<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></font><font size="3">is very good because it sets a hopeful note at the very beginning.</font><font size="3"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">The poem comes back to that theme of
waiting at he end<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">when it</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">exresses conviction of the return of Spring. </font><font size="3"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">The author finds assurance in some things
in her life<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">that her creative voice is
just waiting for in order to be awakened. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">The poem is inspirational<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">and realistic. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">It offers hope for everyone going through
exceptionally disheartening times.</span></u></b><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">WAITING<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Fragments
of poems lie<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Sleeping
inside me,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Not
ready to face the light of day.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Too
many losses and hardships,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">One
after another, <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Froze
them in mid-verse.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Exceptional line.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">A
winter of bone-chilling cold,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Illness
and family deaths,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">My
husband’s deepening depression –<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">These
are poetry’s fodder,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">But
just not now.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Words
that could turn life’s dross<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Into
expressive shimmering gold<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Elude
me in this dry season.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Sipping
my morning coffee while<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Stroking
my dog’s soft ears,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I
find hope in the songs <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Of chirping
birds outside my window<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">And
believe that words, like Spring,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Will,
despite a barren Winter, come once more. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"> <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv7373874430msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">
Sally Rosenthal<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></div>