<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><br class=""><div><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""><br class=""><div class=""><div dir="ltr" class="">
<h1 style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;break-after:avoid;font-size:12pt;font-family:"Courier New";font-weight:normal" class=""><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">The Creature on My
Birthday<span class=""></span></span></h1><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:10pt;font-family:"MS Serif","serif""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class=""><span class=""> </span></span></p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">I sit
perfectly still at a confluence of two streams<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">my feet
caressing the water <span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">where a
twisted branch <span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">churns the
water into foam. <span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">At the place
where moss swaddle the massive rocks<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">the
quivering ferns plot a new flow <span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">and the
sound of water turns into distinctive voices;<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">when I
listen too intensely, <span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">the voices
become sounds again.<span class=""></span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:10pt;font-family:"MS Serif","serif""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class=""><span class=""> </span></span></p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">A black fish
suddenly shoots across a deep pool <span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">clearing a
path through my consciousness.<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">When it
leaves my vision I catch sight of a furry creature<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">now swimming
towards my leg.<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">Its thick
brown coat is dripping,<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">wet strands
partly hide its tiny ears,<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">it has the
tail of a swimmer, the eyes of a hunter,<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">it is here,
right here, <span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">in the eye
of the present,<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">on the head
of a pin,<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">so close to
my truth <span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">it burns a
hole into what I called my reality.<span class=""></span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:10pt;font-family:"MS Serif","serif""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class=""><span class=""> </span></span></p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">Through that
window I catch sight of a new me<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">untroubled
as a forest,<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">limpid as
water,<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">surrendered
to what is.<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">My leg is a
tree trunk<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">that can
readily accept being climbed on.<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">I am dispassionate
and present,<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">I do not
need a name for the creature,<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">I do not
need a name for myself.<span class=""></span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:10pt;font-family:"MS Serif","serif""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class=""><span class=""> </span></span></p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">As the
animal starts climbing my leg<br class="">
a branch suddenly snaps and startles me.<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">My mind
rapidly takes hold of the situation:<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">What
foolishness. <span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">My leg is no
tree trunk, <span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">I am no
forest. <span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">I am made of
flesh <span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">that can be
easily torn.<span class=""></span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:10pt;font-family:"MS Serif","serif""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class=""><span class=""> </span></span></p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">Horror
stricken at my transformation<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">the animal
jumps back,<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">and <span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">with an
impossible twist of its spine,<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">plunges
backward into the water and swims out of sight.<span class=""></span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:10pt;font-family:"MS Serif","serif""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class=""><span class=""> </span></span></p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">The mind rearranges
the world<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">to make
believe<span class=""></span></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "MS Serif", serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman";" class="">that it has control.<span class=""></span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt;font-size:10pt;font-family:"MS Serif","serif""><span class=""> </span></p>
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