<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><!--StartFragment--><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Times;color:black">The
Days of Now</span></b><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">On the night before Now</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">we all clambored over</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">and greeted each other by the gateway.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">Now came the first morning.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">We opened for each other many conversations<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">and passed cups around the shining circle.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">On the second of Now,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">I could see a long way in people's eyes<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">which cleared to let in the light.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">On the third of Now,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">everyone started dialing up tomorrows,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">released laughter and embraced <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">every future Now with braided voices <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">and sweat-slicked arms.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">Each night Now the sky<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">came down to join us,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">like an animal testing the scents.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">On the fourth of Now<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">we saw magic inside ourselves<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">and blew gently the embers in each other.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">On the fifth day Now transformed<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">into pieces of hours and sounds.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">There was baying and mirth<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">and sweet fresh rubbing of skin on skin.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">The sixth of Now saw us<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">plain and fearful, thrilled and drawn<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">to each other in new forever dreams.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">On the seventh of Now<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">we redrew all our lines,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">filled all the hollows, as Now expected.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">At last the night Now<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">draped velvet and quiet<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">as hushed we prepared our ascent.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">This night is that night Now.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">It has unquenchable questions<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">and the same different beginning.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">On top of morning Now<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">and all through evening Now<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">we waxed and shined the circle again<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">sipped each other's songs<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black">and touched old and new alike.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Times;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:
"Times New Roman";color:black;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:
EN-US">Ralph Copleman</span></i></body></html>
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