From: Michael (charmed and dangerous)<BR>
Date: 3 November 2000<P>

Gah I hate waiting. So I'm reading poetry. Thanks to everyone for all the good stuff..<BR>
<BR>
Kevin ~ Thanks a million for "a million". "but feeling as if I; were the first million bucks; and you my last" -- great ender<BR>
<BR>
Terry ~ "My Offer" -- sounds like a true offer to me. &lt;grin&gt; I bet she'll be taking you up on it..<BR>
<BR>
Ali ~ "Remember Me As You LIke" these lines are so true --<BR>
"We all are broken people; We crawl on our hands and knees; Over the shards of what we've done ; To get to something better" I wish I had written them. =)<BR>
<BR>
Sarah ~ "philosophy of a waffle iron" - I know exactly how you feel. I gave a lady a rice cooker. Thanks for the laugh. =)<BR>
<BR>
Zero ~ I love the rhythm of "Baby cause" and "Little Bits". Keep it up!<BR>
<BR>
<BR>

<HR>
From: The One and Only Mrs. Bootiehead<BR>
Date: 3 November 2000<P>

Stands with a smile:  I love your work...it is intense.  You say so much in so little.  I feel as if in some of your work you are talking through me.  Excellent work.  <BR>
<BR>
Always,<BR>
Alicia
<HR>
From: Stands with a Smile<BR>
Date: 3 November 2000<P>

<BR>
My Dear Mrs. Bootiehead,<BR>
<BR>
In all humility, thank you.  <BR>
<BR>
I remain, perhaps alone,<BR>
but still..<BR>
<BR>
Standing with a Smile.
<HR>
From: [email-masked]<BR>
Date: 3 November 2000<P>

To Kat<BR>
<BR>
   Thank you for the kind words regarding  "Huntress", this writing is becoming a little easier.  Just wish I had half the talent as everyone else in here. <BR>
<BR>
Cats_Meow
<HR>
From: Megs<BR>
Date: 3 November 2000<P>

Ugh...I have been haunting around these parts reading lots and feeling just BLAH because I have so much in my head and so not enough talent (or something) to express it.  Basically, the guy I have been seeing leaves in one week for Florida (I in WV) I am wondering at the whole long distance thing and crying every two seconds...<BR>
Hard to type over a damp keyboard *wry grin*<BR>
<BR>
BUT so much of what I have been reading is just awesome.<BR>
Gup-  of course, I always love your subs.  But "Antivalium" was so damn true.  So what I do to myself in my own head...anyways...it hit home.<BR>
<BR>
Kev- again, I think you are amazing in general however, "Cold Place" was one of those ten dozen things that make me cry right now cause well...November is going to be darn cold.  Favorite cyber-child in winter depression :(<BR>
<BR>
Sarah-  "Waffle-iron"  and just about anything of yours I have read as of late.  You are just an amazing writer.  <BR>
<BR>
Terry-  "My Offer"  More tears.  So sweet.  <BR>
<BR>
Ok I wish I could write.  ARGH!!!<BR>
<BR>

<HR>
From: Nick Polimeni [email-masked]<BR>
Date: 3 November 2000<P>

Does a writer have a mission?  <BR>
<BR>
Often I've wanted to write, and didn't and wouldn't because I felt I had nothing to say.  At times, I took up writing for my own amusement and relief. Then, I look back through history, and I see books that still are with us, which seemed to have shaped the nature of cultures for hundreds of years.  I am sure I won't be able to write such a book, but I know that even humor has a mission, and the mission is subtle.  Writers and artists shape the future of a culture.<BR>
<BR>
An artist/writer is one who gets in touch with the pool of wisdom that is accessible through his imagination and perceptions.  During the moment of creation, he lives in a pool of inspiration, which is a pool of love. <BR>
<BR>
This is a book of love.  And it will be written again and again through the ages. I would love to have your comments on my book if you choose to take a copy…<BR>
<BR>
"All you need is love," still ring in our ears the Beatles' songs of the sixties and seventies, unconditional love. The same old story, but wisdom is indeed as ancient as this world. In our culture we are conditioned to believe that, while "unconditional love" is highly desirable, and that it is the universal solvent, first comes number one, and unconditional love is rare and impractical.<BR>
<BR>
So one finds oneself at odds trying to figure out when one should apply unconditional and when one should look after number one.<BR>
<BR>
Unconditional love does require not just 'tolerance,' not just 'acceptance,' but a complete 'embracing.'  The author has covered this subject in depth in his book 'One Man's Love Secrets for Women' which is available for free if you can not pay for it. (http://home.earthlink.net/~azats/ ).<BR>
<BR>
One important point about unconditional love is the 'giving' does not mean sacrifice of one's own will.  'Giving' is a significant part of such love, but it carries with it the willingness to 'receive,' so that the loved one also will experience the pleasures of 'giving.'<BR>
<BR>
We do not need to change the world with these ideas.  All we need to do to change the world is simply apply them privately in our lives.  When was the last time you refused to retaliate when your neighbor let his dog loose in your yard, and did something kind in return?<BR>
<BR>
Sometimes I'm amused at what people claim as a desire to learn new ideas, new views, and new nuances to old knowledge.  Yet, from thousands of people who express a desire to learn, very few really care to learn from others. <BR>
<BR>
Why do I say this? And what does it have to do with unconditional love? <BR>
Unconditional love works best applied by all parties involved in a connection, or relationship, or even a society. We listen to our neighbor and we shake our heads, as we often do when we read some of these postings, because we "know they don't have a clue."  We also know they're not going to listen to us. That's the point! <BR>
"They don't listen!" That's is visible to me when very few people will take the book, even FREE.  Of course, I'm not referring to you, reading this now.  But I bet that the neighbor that won't listen to you will listen to you through the book, if you take the book to give it to him.<BR>
<BR>
I won't claim now that there is an underlying basic common truth, or that it is even contained in the book. However, 'truer' 'truths' have way of dispelling lesser 'truths' and falsehoods. Its recognition alone is often accompanied by an actual sense of relief felt in the body.<BR>
<BR>
Then, if just a handful of people would apply it in small quantities, we'd be slightly better off.  When was the last time you put a coin in an expired parking meter, knowing that the person would never find out who the benefactor was?<BR>

<HR>
From: Jerah White  [email-masked]<BR>
Date: 3 November 2000<P>

I didn't see a poem that i thought was good<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
try something like this<BR>
<BR>
Did you know god above<BR>
created you for me to love<BR>
<BR>
he picked you out of all the rest<BR>
because he knew I'd love you the best<BR>
<BR>
And if I'm in heaven before you are<BR>
I'll carve your name in every star<BR>
<BR>
And if you not htere before judgement day<BR>
I'll know you've gone the other way<BR>
<BR>
I'll give the angels back there wings<BR>
and all there golden things<BR>
<BR>
Just to prove my love is true<BR>
I'll go from heaven to hell just to bew with you 
<HR>
From: sarah [email-masked]<BR>
Date: 3 November 2000<P>

megs:  thank you for your comments, tis wonderful to hear!<BR>
<BR>
terry: twas fun bumpin' with ya! lets do it again sometime<BR>
<BR>
gala: sweetheart, i think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship, i suck at humphrey bogart impersonations.<BR>
<BR>
and anyone else who commented, thank you thank you very much (that was meant to sound like elvis)<BR>
<BR>

<HR>
From: Lady E<BR>
Date: 3 November 2000<P>

Dear Stand with a smile, <BR>
<BR>
More please!<BR>
Extremely excellent.<BR>
Your words touch the heart and soul.
<HR>
From: the guppy<BR>
Date: 3 November 2000<P>

"all you need is love"?...ever been starving?...ever been homeless?...no matter how vastly important love is, it's not ever the only thing we need...i do love the song, but i'm a middle class white male who's never had to deal with the loss of many things ultimately more important than a broken heart...i'm sure there are a great many people in the world who do not even have the luxury of worrying about whether or not they will find their "soulmate" or whatever...that kind of torment is reserved for us lucky people...and really, we should consider ourselves as such...i realize poetry is in a way founded on the glamorization of emotion...it's bigger than life...but not more important...and i wonder if people believe what they write when they mention things like suffering eternal damnation to be with some other person...pain...forever...seems like an idiot's choice for someone who really believes in hell...seems like an invalid statement for someone who doesn't really believe in it, but uses the words just to pack a punch...to glamorize...poetry is made to be dissected, isn't it?...to be thought about?...right?...to be read with curiosity...<BR>
<BR>
gup
<HR>
From: [email-masked]<BR>
Date: 3 November 2000<P>

Micheal~ Thanks! Glad you liked it!<BR>
<BR>
Terry~ You're amazing!  Everything you write is golden!  <BR>
<BR>
Gala~Your words always find their way to my heart....wow.<BR>
<BR>
I know I said this before, but to everyone...Beautiful work.
<HR>
From: Jenna Holland ([email-masked])<BR>
Date: 3 November 2000<P>

Guppy- All the recent subs were AMAZING for lack of a better word.  Expecially enjoyed "antivalium"...<BR>
<BR>
-Jenna-
<HR>
From: the guppy<BR>
Date: 3 November 2000<P>

(continued)...and i pose a question...if you love unconditionally, what separates your unconditional love for one person from your unconditional love of another?...or does your wife hold the same amount of your love as the stranger who's parking meter you fed?...are there levels of unconditionality?...is it the same thing as kindness towards people and good will?...is unconditional love seperate from romantic love?...if so, why is it almost exclusively mentioned in the context of relationship-based conversation?...somebody enlighten me<BR>
<BR>
gup
<HR>
From: the guppy<BR>
Date: 3 November 2000<P>

zero #1---the lord of the rings is one of my favs too...tolkien was a master<BR>
<BR>
gup
<HR>
From: Another Guessing that  it dosent matter<BR>
Date: 3 November 2000<P>

Guppy if i may <BR>
          unconditional love is not loving blind  or stupid   and it is clarified by only one <BR>
thing .... the ability to love without expectations of it being returned ... heh how can <BR>
this be?  can one love a child that way ?  how about a parent ?  then why not a <BR>
spouse  or any one else for that matter ... and i did enjoy  "antivalium"<BR>
<BR>
         and while im at it  <BR>
<BR>
Stands with a smile...  u have been doing some very fine work as well   i enjoy all ur <BR>
posts  and im very happy u decided to stick around <BR>
 <BR>
 Sarah ~ "philosophy of a waffle iron"  lol i loved it sarah thanks for this good read k?<BR>
and please if i ever remark on ur *puctuation * forgive me first k? lol loved this as <BR>
well Sarah<BR>
<BR>
Kevin.. i loved wild fiire ..thank you for this k?<BR>
<BR>
ZERO!!!!!  you hit a favorite !!! since i read it in the early 70's and i still go back at odd <BR>
times to re read  thanks for bringing back these treasured memories<BR>
<BR>
B.K ....ah my lady heh some steaming work of late  thanks for these warmest words k?<BR>
<BR>
terry ..... some very good work as well lol i think between u and stands theses ladies <BR>
are very well done k?<BR>
<BR>
deevaa .....ah my lady  i love ur work of late  heh i think u will transmit summer to all <BR>
of us living through winter this year my lady<BR>
<BR>
rigs......loved wrecked  very fine read  thanks<BR>
<BR>
Gala  ..fairest of elven queens i make my courtly bow ....love your work from the <BR>
smokey mountains .....ah can i smell the wood smoke?    lol yes and it smells so fine<BR>
<BR>
cats_meow  loved huntress  thank you for this k?<BR>
<BR>
 scqueen    ..enhanced ...short to the point and twice as tasty    lol thanks  for this <BR>
excellent read k?<BR>
<BR>
<BR>

<HR>
From: rossy   /       santas little helper<BR>
Date: 3 November 2000<P>

                when i met you!<BR>
when i met you,i was afraid to look at you<BR>
when i looked at you,i was afraid to talk to you<BR>
when i talked to you,i was afraid to kiss you<BR>
when i kissed you ,i was afraid to love you<BR>
and now that i love you im afraid to LOSE YOU!!!!!
<HR>
From: rossy   /       santas little helper<BR>
Date: 3 November 2000<P>

                When I Met You!<BR>
When I met you,I was afraid to look at you<BR>
When I looked at you,I was afraid to talk to you<BR>
When I talked to you,I was afraid to kiss you<BR>
When I kissed you ,I was afraid to love you<BR>
and now that I love you Im afraid to LOSE YOU!!!!!
<HR>