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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Brad’s
piece<o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p><SPAN
style="TEXT-DECORATION: none"> </SPAN></o:p></SPAN></U></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">You’ve done a good job
in summarizing your life up to now. You’ve brought in the major issues, (for
lack of a better term). You’ve maintained an economy of words in that you use
relatively few of them to paint a very large picture.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>It occurs to me that you have the
summary of many other poems and stories in each verse. In fact, it is the
outline for a major memoir. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Capping off six
decades <BR>C By Brad Corallo<BR>Word count 193<BR><BR>It hasn't been a six
story mountain.<BR>Rather an undulating roller coaster
track<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I like the metaphoric
imagery of these two beginning lines. It’s a great
start.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Time like a
concertina, expanding and compressing<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Another good
metaphoric image.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR>such a mixed bag
of bitter sweet!<BR>Friendships, experiments and epiphanies.<BR>Lovers,
marriages and pets.<BR>Great wines, riveting books, successes and
failures.<BR>Magic and miracles;<BR>depression, tedium and loss!<BR><U>Good
summary.<o:p></o:p></U></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR>Immobilizing
fears;<BR>Processed through therapy mills and just doing.<BR>Winter Polar
Be<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">ar plunges for my own
charity. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I’m not sure what this
means. I think you mean that you have plunged into ventures cold turkey for your
own welfare. But the word ‘Charity ‘is what I’m not sure about.</SPAN></U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR><BR>as the lost
singer sang.<BR><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Crystal</st1:City></st1:place> clear perceptions and<BR>clouded,
confused and absent hours. <BR><U>This is an interesting and beautiful quote,
but I question whether it adds enough to be worth the space it takes up. You’ve
said the same things already with your own voice.<o:p></o:p></U></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR>Soaring on wings
of love.<BR>Sinking under oceans of crushing loneliness.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I think these two
lines tell a lot. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR>Beliefs: there is
nothing after this, <BR>But there must be.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I’m glad you added the
spiritual dimension.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">and derangement of the
senses like Rimbaud. <BR><U>This paragraph does add new important dimensions.
But I had to look up Rimbaud. I know you are well read, but I believe most
readers would not know what you were talking about. Do you want to leave them
behind?<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></U></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR>Ten thousand songs
later<BR>loved from seven to almost sixty.<BR>Playing memory tricks;<BR>that is
one of their new ones.<BR>Wait a minute<BR>that was thirty years ago!<BR><U>I’m
glad you added the time dilation issue. Most seniors will relate to this, if
they can remember that they have the same issue.<o:p></o:p></U></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR>And what about
tomorrow?<BR>Things: wonderful and terrible are all eventual.<BR>And though you
can plan for your future,<BR>you can't plan your future.<BR><U>I love the lines
of this paragraph up to this point... You might consider keeping it in the first
person.<o:p></o:p></U></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p><SPAN
style="TEXT-DECORATION: none"> </SPAN></o:p></SPAN></U></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">In the final analysis,
There's only<BR>Now! <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I’m ambivalent about
these lines. Philosophically, they are true, but I’ve heard them so many times
as of late. They are not refreshing.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>The poem can end with the lines prior to these.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If you could find a new way to say what
you are saying in this ending, that would be
wonderful.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></P>
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<P
style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; mso-border-bottom-alt: thin-thick-thin-medium-gap windowtext 6.75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"
class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p><SPAN
style="TEXT-DECORATION: none"> </SPAN></o:p></SPAN></U></P></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p><SPAN
style="TEXT-DECORATION: none"> </SPAN></o:p></SPAN></U></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Abbies
poem<o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p><SPAN
style="TEXT-DECORATION: none"> </SPAN></o:p></SPAN></U></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR>I love this poem.
Its message, words and other poetic devices work beautifully together.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p><SPAN
style="TEXT-DECORATION: none"> </SPAN></o:p></SPAN></U></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><st1:City w:st="on"><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">PEACE</SPAN></U></st1:City><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"> <st1:State
w:st="on">ON</st1:State> <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">CASPER</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">MOUNTAIN</st1:PlaceType></st1:place><BR></SPAN></U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR><BR><BR>Gravel
crunches beneath our feet.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR>With plenty of
grass, bushes,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I think it should read
‘grass and bushes.’<o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR>the forest smells
of pine, flowers<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Again I think it
should read ‘pine and flowers. If you are listening to a reading it would sound
like you are talking about pine flowers, a kind of
flower.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR>under a blue
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Wyoming</st1:State></st1:place>
sky.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I love, “<st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Wyoming</st1:State></st1:place> Sky.” Great
rhyme.</SPAN></U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR><BR>In the
distance, a chain saw whines.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The rhyme continues
nicely.</SPAN></U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR
style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR
style="mso-special-character: line-break"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Is someone
clear-cutting or chopping firewood?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">The rhythm is broken
here. But it is an effective device. Everything is beautiful, and then the
melody is broken by an unwelcome sound, which by its nature is destroying the
beautiful forest. </SPAN></U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR><BR>As we walk
towards camp, the saw stops.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">It is interesting that
when the disruptive sound stops, the meter returns to 8 syllables, which was the
dominant beat before. Then with the truck passing with its machine sounds, the
beat disappears again.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR>Moments later, a
wood-filled truck passes.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR>Has enough of the
forest been taken for one day?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<DIV
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<P
style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 0in; mso-border-bottom-alt: thin-thick-thin-medium-gap windowtext 6.75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in"
class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Very powerful end
line. It drips with sarcasm. I love it.</SPAN></U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR
style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR
style="mso-special-character: line-break"></SPAN></P></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p><SPAN
style="TEXT-DECORATION: none"> </SPAN></o:p></SPAN></U></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 1.5in" class=MsoNormal><FONT
size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman"><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Alice</B></st1:City></st1:place><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">’s piece for April
<o:p></o:p></B></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 1.5in" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 1.5in" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 1.5in" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Your statement that this sonnet highlights the merits of
free verse is certainly true. I have to admire the chutzpa of undertaking (pun
intended) this project.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If anyone
could make it work, it would be you, and you almost pulled it off.
Unfortunately, it impressed me as a case of the tail wagging the dog. The form
has ruled the message and the song.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Having <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 1.5in" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">said that, I did enjoy the humor.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The ideas are clever and cute. The
rhymes all work, but sometimes they seemed reaching. By that I mean, it felt
like you were reaching for a way to get a rhyme in. The content seemed in some
places to be made for the rhyme.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 1.5in" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 1.5in" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT face="Times New Roman">I
don’t think I could have done this as well as you. Not even
close.<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 1.5in" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 1.5in" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">The last line was a lot of fun.
<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 1.5in" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 1.5in" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman">All in all, I’d hve to say you’ve done a really good job
with a really difficult task. <o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 1.5in" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 1.5in" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 1.5in" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt 1.5in" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">A
Sonneteer's Bucket List</FONT></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">by Alice Jane-Marie
Massa</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Alas! The day has come for me to ask:</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">What can you find in my pale Bucket List?</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Do I present for you too hard a task?</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Of course, my list has a poetic twist!</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Turn to <st1:place w:st="on">Bedloe's Island</st1:place>
for your first clue.</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">A pedestal was placed and did inspire</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">A "Colossus," once thought of as so "new"--</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">verses of which immigrants will not tire.</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Oh, you know, Ms. Lazarus holds the lead:</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">her poem is immortalized on a plaque</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">for generations of tourists to read.</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">No pages are needed--take this book back!</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">I want my poem in granite.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Please don't laugh!</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">My Bucket List comes with my epitaph.</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> ##########</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Val’s
piece<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR>Mother
love<BR><BR><BR><BR>I stepped in to darkness,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">I love the layered
meanings of darkness.</SPAN></U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR><BR>a night so
thick with sorrow<BR>I could hardly breathe.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Terrific two lines. I
wish I’d written them.</SPAN></U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR><BR>My eyes
strained for light<BR>from the stars, the horizon,<BR>the hidden chamber of
spirit<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Beautiful, powerful
heartbreaking.</SPAN></U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR><BR><BR><BR>Listening
with every ounce of hope,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Wow!</SPAN></U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR>a splinter of
light appeared--<BR>within me as well as <BR>before my eyes.<BR><BR><BR>In that
split moment of knowing<BR>I reached out a hand--<BR>He was before me, <BR>well,
alive, smiling triumphant.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">At this point there
are so many wonderful questions.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Except for the title, this could be Christ risen, a loved one such as
child, husband, parent. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR><BR>"Mother!"<BR>the
word shook reality and my soul!<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">A question is answered
and leaves more questions.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Is this
a child who was missing and returned? Is it a child who is no longer of this
earth who has returned in spirit? </SPAN></U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR><BR>Beautiful, His
blue eyes took<BR>away every tear in my heart.<BR>The light between us
grew<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">That question is
wonderfully unanswered. </SPAN></U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR><BR>and the first
streak of morning<BR>lit the sky.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">So this morning and
light can be the light and awakening of the soul. And/or it can be the dawn of a
physical morning and the relief of a mother for her son. It is probably all of
the above.</SPAN></U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR><BR><BR>All we
shared was silent<BR>through heart and spirit as I gazed<BR>at the coming of a
new day,<BR><BR>my Son<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">These last lines would
make a rock cry.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><o:p><SPAN
style="TEXT-DECORATION: none"> </SPAN></o:p></SPAN></U></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Valerie, I bow at the
feet of a master. It is that good.<BR></SPAN></U><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 10pt"><BR><BR
style="mso-special-character: line-break"><BR
style="mso-special-character: line-break"></SPAN></P>
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