<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=""><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">Mornings In Confinement<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class=""> </font></span></p><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">Here’s what I want to write:<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">That confinement has made me<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">A better person, been a gift<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">Allowed for consideration,<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">Commitment to quiet<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">Contemplation and revelation<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class=""> </font></span></p><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">Here’s the truth:<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">Every morning I open<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">My eyes, listen to my heart<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">And hear either the tiger<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">Pacing and plotting<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">Escape. Or the housecat<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">Drawn to dream, to sleep<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">This solitary time away. <o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class=""> </font></span></p><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">I open my eyes to sun<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">Or dense, deep clouds,<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">A remembrance of wonder. <o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">I consider sleep and awakening<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">As sisters fatigued with fighting,<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class=""> </font></span></p><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">Knowing, like siblings,<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">That one day, they will separate<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">Not knowing that one day,<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">They will mourn their separation,<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">Recognize that, all along,<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">Each carried a secret<o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class="">Key to the heart of the other. <o:p class=""></o:p></font></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;"><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class=""> </font></span></p><div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;" class=""><span lang="EN-US" class=""><font size="4" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>- Rebecca del Rio</font></span></div></div></body></html>