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This morning the sky is an orange echo of last evenings sunset
settling upon the seasoned gabled roof of the summer house.
The roof, clay-tiled and cool under welcome spring rains and
hot August sun, a parasol of shade and sanctuary. The attic
room is empty now, except for two small beds along the south
wall. I see where dust has folded itself in the crevices of wood
beams.This is not how I had remembered it. This is different.
Beside a front window pink shades lie under a bright sun ray.
Once a bedroom full of laughter and drifting kitchen aromas.
Once a window open to a cooling breeze. A window pressed
with lips in the early morning. Even now, a light mist from the
woods teases the pane, drawing me closer to its warmth, filling
me with recollection.This is a soothing time. A time ablaze
with reflection. It is a door to past adventures. Each sound,
each touch leaves me with a memory. The room shines with
effervescence as a flaxen sun leaps across the faded carpet.
It is marred only by the stain of her sudden ............... leaving.

1st Place FSPA 1997 Annual contest Cat 24
Published: Florida State Poets Association Anthology 16

This poem was written for the inovative category of FSPA annual contest. It is printed as a square on the page (like a house). This program did not line up the poem as it should have and did not transfer underlined words that would have formed the roof, windows and doors. The underlined words should be, at the top in the shape of a roof (This is an orange seasoned gabled roof clay-tiled and cool under welcome august sun, a parasol of shade and sanctuary.) and farther down vertically (This is a front bedroom window) and to the right vertically (This is a bright kitchen window) and at the bottom middle - vertically (This is a door with a flaxon stain).