<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class=""><font class="Apple-style-span" size="6"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 24px;">You are cordially invited to an Oral Tradition Poetry Salon</span></font></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><font class="Apple-style-span" size="7"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 36px;">The World Speaks</span></font></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Saturday, May 7</div><div class="">7:00 PM</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">at the home of Larry Robinson</div><div class="">460 Eleanor Avenue</div><div class="">Sebastopol</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">At the midpoint between the Spring equinox and the Summer solstice and the day before Mothers’ Day, we will gather to honor our Mother Earth with poetry, story and song recited and shared from the heart.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">You are encouraged to bring a snack or beverage to share.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Space is limited. To reserve a seat, please do not reply to this message. Instead, send me a message at <a href="mailto:Lrobpoet@sonic.net" class="">Lrobpoet@sonic.net</a> with the number of seats you wish to save and the names of the people who will occupy them.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Comic Sans MS'" size="5"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"><b class=""><br class=""></b></span></font></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Earth Dweller</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">It was all the clods at once become</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">precious; it was the barn, and the shed,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">and the windmill, my hands, the crack</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Arlie made in the ax handle: oh, let me stay</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">here humbly, forgotten, to rejoice in it all;</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">let the sun casually rise and set.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">If I have not found the right place,</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">teach me; for, somewhere inside the clods are</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">vaulted mansions, lines through the barn sing</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">for the saints forever, the shed and windmill</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">rear so glorious the sun shudders like a gong.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">Now I know why people worship, carry around</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">magic emblems, wake up talking dreams</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">they teach to their children: the world speaks.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">The world speaks everything to us.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class="">It is our only friend.</div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; line-height: normal;" class=""> - William Stafford</div></div></body></html>