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<p class="MsoNormal">Abbie </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">TO MY NEPHEW AT TWENTY </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It seems like yesterday when you were born. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Named after Bob Dylan and Dylan Thomas, you were Grandma
Gummy’s little dilly bar. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>What is a dilly bar?</u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When you were a baby, I held and sang to you, made faces,
said “fuzzy pickle” when your daddy took our picture. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Then you were two. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Grandpa Grumpy’s truck fascinated you. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Being told no did not. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>This is a clever and humorous way<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>of saying “nothing.”</u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At four, you played soccer, </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">wanted to be big. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Now you are—</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>These last two lines work really well.</u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">how time has flown. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>This line is a cliché. It is a cliché that works. You
might want to find a different way of saying the same thing, nevertheless.</u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The possibilities are endless. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">With your own band, you could </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">produce a record label, </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">write and record hundreds of songs, </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">give thousands of performances across the country, </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">or you could be a teacher </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">like your father </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">or a writer like me, </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">inspire and entertain millions. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>I don’t think you need the last line.</u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Alice</u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></u></p>
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<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><u>This is a beautiful poem. I had to look up the
word ‘primavera. I found that the forced form of the poem often interfered with
the rhythm and phrasing of the piece.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If
I had my druthers, I would make those qualities<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>preeminent.</u></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"> </b></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Welcome, Primavera:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A Seasoned Pi Poem<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></b></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"> </p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">by Alice Jane-Marie Massa</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"> </p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"> </p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">Spring blessings</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">come</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">upon the heel</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">of</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">winter's frosted clouds,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><u>If clouds are plural, shouldn’t it be heels rather
than heel?</u></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">on ochre petals of daffodils,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><u>This is a beautiful line.</u></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">on trills</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">of robins' measured notes,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><u>Also beautiful lines.</u></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">in hyacinth air,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">from sweet voices</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">of children swinging,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">from the soft whir of bicycles,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">from fragrance of earth where I will plant</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><u>I love the sound of this line.</u></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">perennial Summer Soul</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><u>Why is Soul<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>capitalized?</u>l</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">To hear the quiet affirmation--</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">dear Nature's</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">welcome:</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">"Primavera,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">alas, your turn has come to choose.</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">How will our March,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">April, and May appear?</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">Whisper</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">meteorological,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">precious secrets</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><u>I love the ‘s’ sounds of these 3 lines.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A good example of onomatopoeia. </u></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">to planters,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">gardeners,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">tillers of your magical soil.</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">Bless their fields,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">gardens</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">with fair rationings of rain,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><u>I just love the roll of r’s.</u></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">lightning, tempered wind, prodigious sun.</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">Primavera, come!"</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"><u>Clever end of line rhyme. </u></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"> </p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">NOTE:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Below
you will find my pi poem with each of the 32 lines preceded by the number of
syllables in the line.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>These numbers, in
order down the left column, comprise the first 32 numerals of the mathematical
pi.</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"> </p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">Welcome, Primavera:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A Seasoned Pi Poem</b></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal" style="text-align:center" align="center"> </p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(3)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Spring
blessings</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(1)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>come</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(4)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>upon the
heel</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(1)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>of</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(5)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>winter's
frosted clouds,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(9)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>on ochre
petals of daffodils,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(2)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>on trills</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(6)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>of robins'
measured notes,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(5)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>in
hyacinth air,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(3)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>from sweet
voices</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(5)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>of
children swinging,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(8)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>from the
soft whir of bicycles,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(9)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>from
fragrance of earth where I will plant</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(7)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>perennial
Summer Soul</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(9)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>To hear
the quiet affirmation--</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(3)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>dear
Nature's</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(2)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>welcome:</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(3)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>"Primavera,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(8)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>alas, your
turn has come to choose.</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(4)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>How will
our March,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(6)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>April, and
May appear?</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(2)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Whisper</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(6)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>meteorological,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(4)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>precious
secrets</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(3)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>to
planters,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(3)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>gardeners,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(8)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>tillers of
your magical soil.</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(3)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Bless
their fields,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(2)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>gardens</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(7)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>with fair
rationings of rain,</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(9)lightning, tempered wind, prodigious sun.</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">(5)<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Primavera,
come!"</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"> </p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">number of words:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>105</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal">number of poetic lines:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>32</p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"> <a href="mailto:ajm321kh@wi.rr.com" target="_blank">ajm321kh@wi.rr.com</a></p>
<p class="aolmailmsonormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Brad</u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>I love the philosophical speculations raised </u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Who Knows Where the Time Goes<br>
<br>
I sat on the large deck overlooking the sea with a contingent of fellow<br>
travelers and waited for the sun to set. Speaking figuratively, for most of<br>
us the sun had just about fully set already. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>This is a great way to say you guys were really far over
the hill.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But I didn’t get it at first
at first I thought you were talking about the sunset only.</u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Four attractive young men and<br>
women attired in rainbow shirts and white shorts circulated, serving<br>
everyone their drink of choice. <br>
<br>
I was born with compromised vision, lost almost all of that, and through<br>
some clever retinal implants, I could see sunsets and the breasts and faces<br>
of women once again. The measure of my gratitude was almost too large to<br>
encompass. </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Is this a true description of your eyesight history?</u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
<br>
Quietly, the strains of Sinatra’s “It Was a Very Good Year” began to play as<br>
sentimental background. <br>
<br>
I sipped my drink and my eyes filled. How did I get to be this old? When did<br>
it all happen? I was fairly sure that some sorcery had been involved.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>I certainly can relate to that feeling. </u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
Somehow, when I wasn’t paying attention, something had stolen away some<br>
years. <br>
<br>
Over my long life, I had seen great times and awful times. I had loved and<br>
hated. I had lost much and gained much more than I realized when it was<br>
happening. How could I be sitting here on this deck near the end of my life<br>
waiting for the sunset? </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Again, that wonderful metaphor of the sunset being the
last moments of life.</u><br>
<br>
I signaled for another drink and drained my glass to the dregs. For an</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>“Glass to the dregs,” is a clear connection to the
Sinatra song. It seems that this whole piece could claim that song for its
theme.</u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
instant, I felt the strangest sense of déjà vu. It seemed like I had been in<br>
this exact situation before. There was an eerie familiarity about it all. I<br>
wondered momentarily if there was some repeating loop at the center of all<br>
our lives. Did we experience life, then forget and then reexperience it<br>
again as if new, but with a vague sense of familiarity? Perhaps! </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>You are probably a Trecky.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>theme has been worked several times. I’m talking about the time-loop
theme.</u><br>
<br>
The old fellow sitting on my left leaned over and asked quietly: “You don’t<br>
really expect to get an answer to that one, do you?”</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>So who is that old fellow who seems capable of reading
your mind? Very nice insert to the story. It raises all kinds of possibilities.
I think it might be yu talking to yourself as a self who has gone through the
loop so many times that he knows what it is and knows what your/his thoughts
are at that moment.</u><br>
<br>
I took a deep breath and replied, “No, I’m afraid not.”<br>
<br>
As the sun seemed to fall majestically into the sea, the sweet, long dead<br>
voice of Sandy Denny wondered in the background: “who knows where the time<br>
goes-who knows where the time goes?” <br>
<u>You have cleverly changed the meaning of the question. You are not just
asking about the passage of time, but you are asking a more fundamental
question. You are asking about the nature of time.</u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Welcome back. This was worth waiting for.</u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Val</u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>I love this piece. It’s powerful . It reveals a lot about
the author.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Open, vulnerable, strong,
accepting her flaws and strengths. She wants others to be the same.</u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">am blind,<br>
does that scare you</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Strong Opening lines. They grab you.</u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
with images of wandering aimlessly<br>
through chambers filled with darkness and fear?<br>
<br>
Do you shrink away from <br>
what you consider different,<br>
dangerous, dreadful?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>The perception of a blind person is especially
intriguing. The lines made me think about it. I’ve come to some interesting
theories.</u><br>
<br>
No need to grasp my arm tight,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>I can feel it. </u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
propell me forward,</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>Propel is really good.</u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
talk very loud or slow,<br>
or assume my "blinddar"<br>
sees through you.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>These lines covers the two extremes in which blind people
are often stereotyped. </u><br>
<br>
Listening and concentration <br>
are always "on,"<br>
Offer me your elbow to guide,<br>
talk naturally, laugh if apropriate--<br>
I won't break if you ask<br>
me a question or say hello.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>In other words, just be yourself. The problem is, many
people don’t know who or what they are in the company of a blind person or
anyone who is not part of their normal social circumstances. </u><br>
<br>
Only my eyes are blind--<br>
my mind, brain and ability are intact.<br>
Don't assume, I won't either.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>I love this thought.</u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
You aren't expected to "fix" my life—</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>With this line I have the image of talking to someone who
mayh have potential of being<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>important
in your<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>life.</u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
if help is needed, I'll tell you<br>
when and how.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u>If I need your help, I’ll ask for it. You have a kinder
way of saying it. It is not a put-off<span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>statement.</u><br>
<br>
Yes, I am blind, not ashamed,<br>
not helpless or guilty.<br>
I love life,<br>
laugh much, perservere like you,<br>
feeling all the same emotions you do.<br>
<u>I think these last several lines has the potential of putting a relationship
on equal terms. That would be welcomed by anyone worth having a relationship
with.</u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
I am not super human,<br>
downcast and desperate,<br>
I'm as simple and complex as anyone--<br>
only my eyes don't function.<br>
<u>Strong ending.</u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
-Valerie Moreno<br>
<a href="mailto:spiritwind@pmpmail.com">spiritwind@pmpmail.com</a><br>
______<br>
The waiting is the hardest part...you take it on faith, you take it to<br>
the heart...the waiting is the hardest part.<br>
-Tom Petty</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></u></p>
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