> > To me, this reads like two poems -- the first ending with "Calling still" and the second beginning with "In my rose garden". Each section evokes a different feeling for me, and I have a little trouble making sense of them together. That's not to say that they *don't* make sense together; only that I find it hard not to read them separately.
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> I get "this is where I came from" out of the first half, and "this is where I'm going, or at least it is if I can build up the courage to walk onward" out of the second.
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> Of course, I may get that impression because I know its inspiration, and also because the previous poem is still fresh in my memory. Kiki, I would be tempted to bundle these two poems as companion pieces, this one "sort of" following the other. In the first poem, you're still deeply rooted in an uncomfortable past, but there is a glimmer of hope for the future. In this one, you're wedged kind of in limbo, right next to, but not a part of, either your past or your future. Consequently, both worlds are very close and very visible to you.

You would be VERY right in calling it a companion piece. The metaphor just rather extended itself to cover where I am now.
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> I hope all goes well, and in the future there will be a third poem where you're IN the glories of that rose garden, yet perhaps keeping one tiny little thread of connection to the past with you, which carries with it the memories of those silver shards but no longer the pain? You're already headed there, and at an amazing rate, too. Good job.

I don't know where this will take me. I hope that third poem will come about, but I know the situation will, whether the poem manifests itself or not. Sam, your encouragement has been one of the major things that has gotten me to where I am now - so thank you, and I promise you'll get to read any other poems that come out of this.

Ki"I knew Sam would get it"ki