<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div dir="ltr"><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-family: Sailec, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 1.5rem; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;">Apples</span><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><span></span>by Laurie Lee<br><span></span><br><span>Behold the apples’ rounded worlds:</span><br><span>juice-green of July rain,</span><br><span>the black polestar of flowers,</span><br><span>the rind mapped with its crimson stain.</span><br><span></span><br><span>The russet, crab and cottage red</span><br><span>burn to the sun’s hot brass,</span><br><span>then drop like sweat from every branch</span><br><span>and bubble in the grass.</span><br><span></span><br><span>They lie as wanton as they fall,</span><br><span>and where they fall and break,</span><br><span>the stallion clamps his crunching jaws,</span><br><span>the starling stabs his beak.</span><br><span></span><br><span>In each plump gourd the cidery bite</span><br><span>of boys’ teeth tears the skin;</span><br><span>the waltzing wasp consumes his share,</span><br><span>the bent worm enters in.</span><br><span></span><br><span>I, with as easy hunger, take</span><br><span>entire my season’s dole;</span><br><span>welcome the ripe, the sweet, the sour,</span><br><span>the hollow and the whole.</span><br><span></span><br><span>————————————————-</span><br><span></span><br><span>Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span><br><span></span><br><span>"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</span><br><span>http://www.MoscowCares.net</span><br><span></span><br><span>Tom Hansen</span><br><span>Moscow, Idaho</span><br><span></span><br><span>“A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met.”</span><br><span>- Roy E. Stolworthy</span><br></div></div></div></div></body></html>