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<p class="MsoNormal">It is nice to get this kind of news when you come into work in the morning.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Note, I have copied the poem in question at the bottom of the Email.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Shawn<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> magnetsandladders@comcast.net <magnetsandladders@comcast.net>
<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, April 04, 2019 8:46 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Jacobson, Shawn D <Shawn.D.Jacobson@hud.gov><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Magnets and Ladders<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dear Shawn,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Congratulations! Your poem, "Tumbleweed" is the First Place winner in the Magnets and Ladders Spring/Summer poetry contest. If you did not include your address with your submission, please send it so that you can receive your prize of $30.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Your poems, “Okie” and “The Furloughed Knight” will also be published.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Congratulations,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Magnets and Ladders team<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Tumbleweed, poetry<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Borne upon the wind,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">the flying bushes of the plains<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">sail across the road.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Heading out from Pueblo going east,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">we leave the mountain’s grandeur in our wake,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and enter upon plains with flat expanse,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">vast in reach, unbounded and so free.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A wind arises from the howling north,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">a sky of cloudless blue turns dusty brown.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I hear the keening in the chilly air;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">a storm is calling through the empty land.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">And then I see a sight unique with wonder.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A drove of plants the size of steers arrives<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">sailing across the emptiness around us,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">flying over unencumbered land.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We flinch as these weeds cross the road ahead;<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So sudden, collisions cannot be avoided.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">They slam the car with slapping thudding sound,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">breaking themselves on our metallic helm.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Through prairie towns our tumble weeded way<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">takes us in our eastward journey home:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">La Junta, Lamar, Garden and Dodge cities,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and smaller towns swallowed by emptiness.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In time we’ll leave this empty widespread realm<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and eastward find familiar fenced-in land<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">of cities reaching skyward in their might,<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and bid nature around it mind her place.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But memory of this forgotten space<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">will linger as we contemplate the sight<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">of dusty skies that tell of distant storms<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">and plants that sail through, empty prairie skys.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Over unfenced land<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Flying bushes travel free<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">across memory.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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