<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=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><p class="MsoNormal">Parkland<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i class=""> </i></p><p class="MsoNormal">Consider the red-boned manzanita<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">for years its seeds patient<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">buried beneath parent shade<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">until acres of trees blazed <o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">bright on sway-backed hills<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">then fell like dark snow—<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">a blanket of blackened ash.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p class=""> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">But that heat released the sleeping seeds<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">cracked open tight seed coats, awoke<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">a generation to germination<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">now stretching down sturdy roots <o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">now pushing up strong shoots <o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">green arms breaking through <o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">burnt and crusted soil—<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">now a bright reminder<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">of what youth can do</p><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>- Lisa Shulman</div></div></body></html>