So much of your words focus on that hardscrabble time you spent becoming an accomplished writer in the Big Apple where magic happens to few and so many come, have memories like you, and then, leave to places other where the cost of living is not so great.

I'm also reminded of visiting the dusty old library at West Virginia University, sometimes spending hours not finding anything related to my dissertation study, but finding almost everywhere, old, rarely if ever, books, once opened, filled with amazing words written a century or more before but containing such wisdom that one would wish time to read them all.

Unfortunately, when looking to read online today, one tends to find only the latest offering or those picked by webmaster experts to be displayed and easily accessible. While one can still serf the web, it is unlike wandering an old bookstore or a library. And that's a shame.

Ron

Such beautiful memories that only can live on because of words, however imperfect language is to express reality, it comes close and as writer-artists we can embellish to the point of near perfection, plucked from the stars and placed into our readers' minds. Thank you for sharing, as always, Odin.

We poets are always attempting to understand the power of words, always playing around with them to achieve some kind of lasting meaning, something that "speaks eternal!"

The kids and I were just talking about how words can change everything. We were discussing the dissolution of family bonds over hard words expressed in letters between family members. Yet, on the other hand, the potential for forgiveness, understanding, love—offered through words, can turn the trajectory of lives and future generations. "Speak eternal" as you so eloquently say.

I really enjoyed this...
The final verse is genius...!
Those unshackled words
can provide the reader with
whatever is required ..
Such eternal power in words...

Diana...