<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Aptos;}
@font-face
{font-family:Metropolis-Regular;
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;
mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#467886;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:11.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Hi all-<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>This poem was one I submitted and then received critique from in a workshop facilitated by John Sibley Williams with six other poets. Though it is not a typical holiday poem I hope it resonates with you.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Email: <a href="mailto:anniecms64@gmail.com">anniecms64@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The Bare Tree<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ann Chiappetta<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I don’t want to know what is broken<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>lift the lid peek inside<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>shattered glass glints from<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>the depths of the crushed cardboard box<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>cursing the damn cat for knocking it over<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>my fingers rescue the survivors<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>half-forgotten memories slide<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>into the trash with the shards<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The tree stands bare at first because decorating it<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>would free the emotional residuals<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>like estrangement<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>cancer<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>euthanasia<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Now I must deal with casualties<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>brush aside the splinters discover<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>what still lives or hurts<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>later when the ornament triage is over<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Hypnotizing tree lights pulse<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>transporting me through mental intersections<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>triggered by the act of hanging undamaged ornaments<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>nestled in the branches of the tree.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Ann Chiappetta, MS<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>President, Friends In Art, Inc.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><a href="mailto:president@friendsinart.org"><span style='color:#0563C1'>president@friendsinart.org</span></a> <a href="http://www.friendsinart.org"><span style='color:#0563C1'>www.friendsinart.org</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>914.393.6605 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><a href="http://www.annchiappetta.com"><span style='color:#0563C1'>www.annchiappetta.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Metropolis-Regular",serif;color:black;background:white'>Trust your dreams. Trust your heart and trust your story. Neil Gaiman<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:white;mso-ligatures:none'>_._,_._,_<o:p></o:p></span></p><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'><hr size=2 width="100%" align=center></span></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>Groups.io Links:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>You receive all messages sent to this group. <o:p></o:p></p><p><a href="https://writerspartyline.groups.io/g/writerspartyline/message/19503" target="_blank">View/Reply Online (#19503)</a> | <a href="mailto:anniecms64@gmail.com?subject=Private:%20Re:%20%5BWritersPartyline%5D%20new%20Poem%20by%20Annie%20200%20words%20with%20intro" target="_blank">Reply To Sender</a> | <a href="mailto:writerspartyline@writerspartyline.groups.io?subject=Re:%20%5BWritersPartyline%5D%20new%20Poem%20by%20Annie%20200%20words%20with%20intro" target="_blank">Reply To Group</a> | <a href="https://groups.io/mt/109122600/15441" target="_blank">Mute This Topic</a> | <a href="https://writerspartyline.groups.io/g/writerspartyline/post">New Topic</a> <br><a href="https://writerspartyline.groups.io/g/writerspartyline/editsub/15441">Your Subscription</a> | <a href="mailto:writerspartyline+owner@writerspartyline.groups.io">Contact Group Owner</a> | <a href="https://writerspartyline.groups.io/g/writerspartyline/unsub">Unsubscribe</a> [anniecms64@gmail.com]<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:white;mso-ligatures:none'>_._,_._,_<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Ann Chiappetta, MS<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>President, Friends In Art, Inc.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><a href="mailto:president@friendsinart.org"><span style='color:#0563C1'>president@friendsinart.org</span></a> <a href="http://www.friendsinart.org"><span style='color:#0563C1'>www.friendsinart.org</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>914.393.6605 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><a href="http://www.annchiappetta.com"><span style='color:#0563C1'>www.annchiappetta.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Metropolis-Regular",serif;color:black;background:white'>Trust your dreams. Trust your heart and trust your story. Neil Gaiman<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>