CHERRY BLOSSOMS I wake in the morning and find a garden close by, enclosed with blossoms, light and fairy-like; some fall on my shoulder, some touch the ground, the whole garden alive. The wonder of each petal calms my mind, wakes me up. The continuous swaying of each branch, petals moving, their fragility exposed as they shake, then burst apart. Seeds blow in the wind, leaves make a carpet underneath, and life is brighter, full of joy; my body awakes to this new day. -- Mary Guckian, born 1942 in Co. Leitrim, now resides in Dublin. Her little books of poetry ("Perfume of the Soil"/Swan Press 1999 and "The Road to Gowel"/Swan Press 2000) contain her own photos of Ireland and childhood memories. Mary has participated in a cultural exchange with Boston recently. --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.716 / Virus Database: 472 - Release Date: 7/15/2004