<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=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class="">Quilts</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""><i class="">for Sally Sellers</i></span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 14px;" class=""><i class=""><br class=""></i></span></div><div class="">Like a fading piece of cloth</div><div class="">I am a failure</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">No longer do I cover tables filled with food and laughter</div><div class="">My seams are frayed my hems falling my strength no longer able</div><div class="">To hold the hot and cold</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">I wish for those first days</div><div class="">When just woven I could keep water</div><div class="">From seeping through</div><div class="">Repelled stains with the tightness of my weave</div><div class="">Dazzled the sunlight with my</div><div class="">Reflection</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">I grow old though pleased with my memories</div><div class="">The tasks I can no longer complete</div><div class="">Are balanced by the love of the tasks gone past</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">I offer no apology only</div><div class="">this plea:</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">When I am frayed and strained and drizzle at the end</div><div class="">Please someone cut a square and put me in a quilt</div><div class="">That I might keep some child warm</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">And some old person with no one else to talk to</div><div class="">Will hear my whispers</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">And cuddle</div><div class="">near</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>- Nikki Giovanni<br class=""></div></div></body></html>