<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">Tulips<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><div style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;" class=""><font size="2" class=""><span class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></font></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">On the shiny red marble counter, <o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">The burgandy tulips are dying. <o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">Floating from the round glass vase <o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">into the middle world of our kitchen,<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">their pale green stems, once tall, emerald and erect<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">have lowered <o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">their necks like swans, skim the surface<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">of a life’s reflection. </font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class=""> T</font></span><span style="font-size: small;" class="">heir velvet petals</span><span style="font-size: small;" class=""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">are worn and thin, stretched open<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">like palms in a mudra, as if to extend and receive a last blessing<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">before they fall.<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><div style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;" class=""><font size="2" class=""><span class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></font></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">Each flower <o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">navigates the angle of light<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">content </font></span><span style="font-size: small;" class="">to drift, one petal at a time,</span><span style="font-size: small;" class=""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">scattering a design <o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class=""> when they drop.<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><div style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;" class=""><font size="2" class=""><span class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></font></div><div style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;" class=""><font size="2" class=""><span class=""> </span></font><span style="font-size: small;" class="">I contemplate</span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">the shaft of dust particles dancing in the skylight<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class=""> of sun framing us <o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class=""> in a still life by Rembrant<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">when suddenly <o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">the sound of a rain begins to ping from inside my head<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">and the once blue sky fades to grey <o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">changing the hue on the canvas of the kitchen. <o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><div style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;" class=""><font size="2" class=""><span class=""> S</span></font><span style="font-size: small;" class="">tunned with sound and color</span><span style="font-size: small;" class=""> </span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">startled like a newborn <o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">I don’t know what is happening<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">in this blazing quiet<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class=""> explosion of beauty,<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><div style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;" class=""><font size="2" class=""><span class=""> </span></font><span style="font-size: small;" class="">this impulse of ecstacy</span><span style="font-size: small;" class=""> </span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class=""> coursing throug my body,<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">guides my arm to reach <o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">for this and tells my hand to do that.<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">Witnessing this<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">effortless alignment unfolding<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">the perfect order of every detail<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">I am </font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">experiencing, always belonging to this, <o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">culminating since the beginning <o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">(when there was no beginning)<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">bringing me inside the pulse of the tulips <o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">how we are joined<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">how they are gazing back <o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">enchanted by the mystery of this recognition of each other.<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><div style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;" class=""><font size="2" class=""><span class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></font></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">So many years of seeking….learning about things,<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">How they work and what they mean,<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">Who am I and what is the meaning,<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">and now the answer comes to this.<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span style="font-size: small;" class="">To float in the vase of my body like a tulip</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">extending love, beauty and fragrance<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">following the compass of light<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">allowing each notion to drop gently</font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class=""> in the end<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">(without end)<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">as time and separation <o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;"><span class=""><font size="2" class="">simply fade away. <o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></p><div style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;" class=""><font size="2" class=""><span class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></font></div><div style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;" class=""><font size="2" class=""><span class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></font></div><div style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 6pt;" class=""><font size="2" class=""><span class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></font></div><div class=""><span class="" style="font-size: 14pt;"><br class=""></span></div></body></html>