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A moth ate a word. When I heard of that marvel, it seemed to me a strange fate that a worm should devour the speech of a man, that a thief in the dark should eat the words of the mighty and the book that contained them. Nor was that stealthy guest made any the wiser by the words that he swallowed.--Anonymous

One of my foes deprived me of life, took my worldly strength, wet me thereafter, immersed me in water, removed me again, set me in the sun, where soon I lost the hair that I had. The hard knife-edge, afterwards cut me, the impurities ground off; fingers folded me and the fowl's delight made tracks upon me with useful drops o'er the swart edges, swallowed the tree dye, part of the stream, stepped on me then, traveled on, leaving the blackest of tracks. Then a man bound me with binding boards, covered me with hide, clothed me with gold. So the work of smiths splendidly decked me, and he encircled me with wire. Now the ornaments and the reddish dye and the glory-dwellings attest afar the protector of people, no less the fates of foolish men. If the sons of men seek to use me they will be the sounder and surer of victory, the bolder of heart, the blither of spirit, the wiser of mind, the more friends they will have, the dear and the near, the true and the good, the kind and the faithful, who will add to their fame, their glory, and joy, and graciously then clothe them with kindness, clasping them firmly in the arms of love. Ask what I am called, of benefit to men. My name is famous, useful to heroes and holy itself.--Anonymous

Death Beckons

Death beckons

Just beyond 

My doorway

Awakening me rudely

From my dreams

Entreating me to journey

Somnambulant

Into the dark night

Death beckons

Beshrouded by the darkness

Cloaked by anonymous shadows

Death visits by night

And knocks upon these portals

Not daring to pass

Into the lighted spaces

And interior warmth of my little home

So well lived by day

Seasons