<div style="font-size:10pt;font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;color:black;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0143236887msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">Alice</span></u></b></st1:place></st1:city><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p></o:p></span></u></b></font></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0143236887msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></span></o:p></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0143236887msonormal" 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">This piece seems at first to be focused on
the trip, the architecture, some culture and other environmental aspects. The
lead in is natural in its transition to the rest of the piece.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">But the quandary and image of giving or not giving
to the needy child captures the reader’s primary attention.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">The origin of the church with its
philanthropist deepens the moral quandary. Then there is a description of how
the experiences influenced the writer’s life, perhaps even more in the present
than it did at the time. Great story and great writing.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0143236887msonormal" 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="yiv0143236887msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">
On this January night in 2019, a year whose sound seems foreign to me, I am
recalling a January day of 1974. While tonight I am weary of shoveling
snow and weary of excited voices of weather forecasters proudly announcing the
wind chill will be <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0143236887msonormal" 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">I really like using (proudly) here. It’s
good sarcastic humor.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0143236887msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">twenty-five
to thirty-five below zero, I drift into thinking of a trip to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Mexico</st1:country-region></st1:place></font><font size="3"> in late December of 1973
through January of 1974. On each day of our journey around </font><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><font size="3">Mexico</font></st1:place></st1:country-region><font size="3">, D.F.,
only a blazer or light sweater was part of my daily traveling outfits. On
the one day of a dozen or so I could recollect, I am focusing on </font><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on"><font size="3">Taxco</font></st1:city></st1:place><font size="3">, once a
silver-mining town.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0143236887msonormal" 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="yiv0143236887msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">
Rather than a comfy seat in a large bus, a private car was our mode of
transportation into the higher altitudes of <st1:city w:st="on">Cuernavaca</st1:city></font><font size="3">
and then </font><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><font size="3">Taxco</font></st1:place></st1:city><font size="3">.
Jorge, who spoke English very well, was our apt guide and driver for the
day. We listened and learned from all that he had to tell us on the
winding roads to </font><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><font size="3">Cuernavaca</font></st1:place></st1:city><font size="3">,
where we visited the church in which the first guitar mass was
celebrated. Unlike all the other churches and cathedrals we toured, this
church in </font><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><font size="3">Cuernavaca</font></st1:place></st1:city><font size="3">
was more contemporary.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0143236887msonormal" 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="yiv0143236887msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">
My sister was my traveling companion; I spoke Spanish,; she did not. She
had perfect visual acuity; I did not. At 23--eight years into something
called "legal blindness"--I had planned, with virtually no qualms, to
travel alone to Mexico; however, to help my dad feel a little more at ease, my
sister decided to join me on this winter vacation to a warmer climate and to a
land where I could practice speaking Spanish and tour points of interest.
<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0143236887msonormal" 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="yiv0143236887msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">
Besides my sister and me, a vivacious woman of around fifty years of age and
another much quieter woman whom we had not previously met were also fellow
tourists and passengers in Jorge's car.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0143236887msonormal" 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="yiv0143236887msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">
After the short stop at <st1:city w:st="on">Cuernavaca</st1:city></font><font size="3">, we continued
through the mountains to our main destination--</font><st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><font size="3">Taxco</font></st1:place></st1:city><font size="3">, in the southern Mexican state of
Guerrero. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0143236887msonormal" 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="yiv0143236887msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">
In this relatively small village, no vehicles are allowed on the cobblestoned
inner streets of the town. Thus, we could walk through the streets
without any concern about vehicular traffic. My first experience of
walking on the cobblestone streets did not disappoint: although one had
to be a little more careful with simple walking, the tactile journey was
interesting and memorable. All of the houses and stores that hugged the
mountainside were white-washed with red-tile roofs. While I have a
distinct remembrance of the bluest sky I had ever seen, the white-washed abodes
washed out in my limited field of vision. However, at that time, my
photography hobby focused on slides. Later, at home or in my classroom, I
could better see the white-washed buildings with the contrasting red-tile roofs
projected from the slide carousel onto a large screen. Back home again in
<st1:state w:st="on">Indiana</st1:state></font><font size="3">, I could much better see </font><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><font size="3">Mexico</font></st1:place></st1:country-region><font size="3">.
(One of these slides, I had <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0143236887msonormal" 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">“Back home in <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Indiana</st1:place></st1:state></font><font size="3">? Isn’t that a cliché? (LOL)<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0143236887msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">developed
into a print; framed, the print of the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Taxco</st1:city></st1:place></font><font size="3">
hillside joins four other framed prints on a wall in my bedroom.)<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0143236887msonormal" 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="yiv0143236887msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">
Before we entered the town </font><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on"><font size="3">square</font></st1:placetype><font size="3">
of </font><st1:placename w:st="on"><font size="3">Taxco</font></st1:placename></st1:place><font size="3">, Jorge seriously
reminded us that we absolutely should not give anything to the children who
would come near us and beg for a peso. "If you give something to
just one child, a minute later, a dozen or more children will quickly gather
around you to beg for more," Jorge explained. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0143236887msonormal" 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="yiv0143236887msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">
As we exited a shop on the festive and cheery town square, a physically
challenged boy did come near us and carefully asked, in English, for a
peso. Jorge's words echoed in my mind. No matter what I did, I was
uncomfortable, unsure. Jorge had also told us to give in another way to
help appropriately. We did walk on: somehow, we walked past the
little disabled boy whose image is forever unceremoniously pressed into the
photo album of my mind. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0143236887msonormal" 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;">This is a powerful and emotional image.</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="yiv0143236887msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">
Past the brightly decorated square, we strode to the stairs of the Santa Prisca
Church--an impressive structure, built from 1751 to1758 in the New Spanish
Baroque style and known for its gilding. ("The <st1:placename w:st="on">Golden</st1:placename></font><font size="3">
</font><st1:placetype w:st="on"><font size="3">Church</font></st1:placetype><font size="3">" was the tallest building
in </font><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><font size="3">Mexico</font></st1:place></st1:country-region><font size="3">
from 1758 to 1806.) Inside the Santa Prisca Church, the air was cooler,
sounds crescendoed, and I wished for the moving chords of the organ. In
the candlelight and streaks of natural lighting, the gold decor shined in
contrast to the relatively dark (to my eyes) church. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0143236887msonormal" 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="yiv0143236887msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">
The confessional for men was on one side of the church; the confessional for
women was on the other. Did I ask God's forgiveness for my not giving
anything to the little boy? Midst the quiet gold, did I kneel and pray
for him; or did I just squint and admire the architecture and gilding? <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0143236887msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><font face="Times New Roman"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3">The little boy becomes central to the
story, with the travel log as a background.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></font><font size="3">Both are beautifully described.</font></span></u></b><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"> <o:p></o:p></font></span></font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0143236887msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">
I knew that Senor Jose de la Borda had the church built after he found not a
vein of silver--but a vein of gold. De la Borda said, "God gave to
de la Borda, and de la Borda will give back to God." He did:
de la Borda gave the quaint </font><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on"><font size="3">village</font></st1:placetype><font size="3">
of </font><st1:placename w:st="on"><font size="3">Taxco</font></st1:placename></st1:place><font size="3"> the Santa Prisca
Church.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0143236887msonormal" 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="yiv0143236887msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">
Throughout these intervening forty-five years, I have periodically thought of
the Santa Prisca Church and the little boy. Often, I have thought of the
famous quote: "God gave to de la Borda, and de la Borda will give back to
God." With each passing year, I try to live by this motto more and
more because I know that even in the midst of this Polar Vortex, I find that I
am better if I do not count degrees below zero, but count blessings.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0143236887msonormal" 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><div style="border-width: medium medium 1pt; border-style: none none solid; border-color: currentColor currentColor windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt; mso-element: para-border-div; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="yiv0143236887msonormal" style="margin: 1em 0in; padding: 0in; border: currentColor; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">January 24, 2019, Thursday<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></div><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Brad</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">A dark prediction of our planet’s future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">It makes me sad and angry to read it because
it is a likely outcome of history.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">The
oceans drying up and the aridness of the landscape could only be caused by
runaway heat.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">Which</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">might have been the result of the Venus
effect, or nuclear holocaust? Of course ultimately, as the Sun expands in its
extreme old age, these defects would happen with out the help of man. By that
time, maybe we’ll have become an evolved space faring species.</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">We should live so long. (An old Yiddish
caution.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></span></o:p></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">The Violation Of
Gaia<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">C By Brad Corallo<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Word count 133 <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">The wind blows
eddies of dust<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">over the stark
desolate land.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Appearing as a
tarnished, filthy steel bowl<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">I would leave out :appearing as.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">Start with the article ‘A.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></span></o:p></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">the sky,
unyielding<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">like grey smoke<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">Leav out ‘like’,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></font><font size="3">and add another syllable, like “Thick grey smoke.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></span></o:p></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">squats heavily
above the ground.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">I love this line<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></font><font size="3">and the use of “Squats.”<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></span></o:p></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Accept for the
wind <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">there is silence.
<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I would like more description of the wind sounds.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Shattered
formations of rock,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">vast piles of
debris;<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">I’m not sure why, but<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">I would prefer rubble or detritis. They are
more descriptive of the kind of debris the piece is talking about.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></span></o:p></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">once something,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">now
unidentifiable functionless and broken.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">No blade of
grass, tree or bush remains.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">The once
extensive oceans<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">gone or congealed<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">to areas of
barely fluid sludge. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Once a world
teaming with life.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">now only the
heartiest extremophile micro organisms are left.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">If intelligent
life ever evolved here,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">I like this line because<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">it is a veiled criticism of our species. Are
we intelligent?</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">Our actions bring the
issue to debate.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></span></o:p></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">no traces exist. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">No recorded
history illuminates the story of this world.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Over it all,
ceaseless, icy winds howl and cry<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">These lines give the wind sounds I was asking for
above.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">their mournful
lament for beautiful Gaia, that was.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Now, gone
forever! <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">I’m not sure this last line should remain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">It is redundant. We know that is the case.
The reality ight be more stark if the last line was not there.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">The Violation Of
Gaia<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><div style="border-width: medium medium 1pt; border-style: none none solid; border-color: currentColor currentColor windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt; mso-element: para-border-div; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0in; border: currentColor; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 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></div><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Joan</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">I love this poem. Simply done, but with complex
meaning. <o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Final Good-Bye<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">Good title.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></font><font size="3">It hides a mystery not apparent until the whole poem is read.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Somehow it’s
easier to slip away<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">when darkness
cloaks the earth,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">When sleep
masquerades<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">as the final
good-bye.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">Sleep<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">is a rehearsal for death. </font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">However,</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3">
</font></span><font size="3">it is also like a fire drill. You know it is not the real thing</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">so it does not have the emotional impact. You
know you will probably wake up.<o:p></o:p></font></font></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Death’s only a
trick then,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">a childish prank,
optical<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">When you say ‘childish’;, you are denying that
death is serious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">You may also be saying
that it is immature, thus thumbing your nose at death. Maybe the expressed
attitude is whistling in the dark.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></span></o:p></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Illusion. Blink
twice, clap<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">your hands, and
fairies will dance again.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">This death Is temporary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">Life returns. Somehow, this reminds me of the
Wizard of Oz. Click your ruby slippers and your back home in </font><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:state w:st="on"><font size="3">Kansas</font></st1:state></st1:place><font size="3">. </font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">So is it wishful thinking that if going to
sleep</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">is LIKE death, maybe death is like
going to sleep with no more permanence than</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3">
</font></span><font size="3">going to sleep.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">But, in
fact, you leave us<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">dreaming,<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">swimming into
daybreak<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">through this veil
of pulsing rain.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font face="Times New Roman"><font size="3">This is interesting. I think you are saying that
life is a dream.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></font><font size="3">It is not any more real
than what we experience in sleep. But I’m not sure that is what you are saying.
There are many ways in which this piece can be interpreted. </font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">I believe that leaving the reader with many
possibilities or unanswered</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">questions is
a mark of depth and quality, provided the questions are not unintended. I think
you knew exactly</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><font size="3"> </font></span><font size="3">what you were doing.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></b></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><div style="border-width: medium medium 1pt; border-style: none none solid; border-color: currentColor currentColor windowtext; padding: 0in 0in 1pt; mso-element: para-border-div; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; padding: 0in; border: currentColor; mso-border-bottom-alt: solid windowtext .75pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></div><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">Val</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><u><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">The poem says
that music is the sound of love, and in its own vibrations it can never be
destroyed. Resilient is defined as the power to come back. Even when life seems
to have died, it returns. It is eternal, never failing. Love and Life are of
one substance, one energy, one music. To me, that is the message of the poem.
It says this in the brilliant shorthand of poetry. As usual, well done.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></u></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Hearing<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">All life sound<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Rezilliant in the
bright Music<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Of Love<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Never<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman">Yields to
failure.<o:p></o:p></font></font></span></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><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="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><o:p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></o:p></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">
</font></div>