<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"><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: right;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Broadway; font-size: 28pt;">The Paradox</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Broadway; font-size: 28pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; text-align: right;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">by Paul Laurence Dunbar.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">I am the mother of sorrows,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> I am the ender of grief;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">I am the bud and the blossom,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> I am the late-falling leaf.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">I am thy priest and thy poet,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> I am thy serf and thy king;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">I cure the tears of the heartsick,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> When I come near they shall sing.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">White are my hands as the snowdrop;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Swart are my fingers as clay;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Dark is my frown as the midnight,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Fair is my brow as the day.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Battle and war are my minions,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Doing my will as divine;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">I am the calmer of passions,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Peace is a nursling of mine.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Speak to me gently or curse me,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Seek me or fly from my sight;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">I am thy fool in the morning,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Thou art my slave in the night.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Down to the grave will I take thee,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Out from the noise of the strife;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Then shalt thou see me and know me—<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Death, then, no longer, but life.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Then shalt thou sing at my coming,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Kiss me with passionate breath,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Clasp me and smile to have thought me<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Aught save the foeman of Death.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Come to me, brother, when weary,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Come when thy lonely heart swells;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">I’ll guide thy footsteps and lead thee<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 15pt 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);"> Down where the Dream Woman dwells.</span></p></div>—————————————————<br><br><div dir="ltr"><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">http://www.MoscowCares.net</span></div><div><br></div><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div><br></div><div>“A stranger is just a friend you haven’t met.”</div><div>- Roy E. Stolworthy</div><div></div></div></div></div></body></html>