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Recorded Reading (1:58): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/z8oduo9lk6vwxnp8s2nch/Cassandra-s-Curse.wav?rlkey=b10ltav1abeyz6g17kzs7v018&dl=0

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(Shortly before her departure from Reno, Nevada in 2017, the poet told her friends that she saw serious trouble coming there soon.

Within the week, peaceful demonstrators were run down by automobile and a mass shooting occurred ~ both on blocks she’d walked nearly every day for the two years prior.

Her friends had thought her paranoid.

She sees something much bigger coming to Pueblo.

This time she tried to warn the city itself, both citizens and police.

The window for prevention, insofar as she can tell, isn’t closing. It’s already pretty much shut.)

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Cassandra’s Curse

She knows Cassandra’s curse, she doth indeed,
Who hath seen human nature from below
As, almost always poor, always in need,
She yet with high head among others go

Doth she perceive potential somewhat less
Than rosy glow suffused it may be in? —
Straightway do others, having insight less,
To brand it “paranoia” swift begin!

Nor come they back, afterward, to observe
That things turned out exactly in that way —
Higher opinion from them she deserve,
Niggardly restitution do they pay

Ignoring evidence which she present
In effort their disaster to prevent

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This poet is physically disabled. Public housing being insufficient to her medical and creative needs, she is presently living, in order to continue working, in her minivan, publishing all of her works using one thumb on the touch screen of her smartphone, surviving at an income of a fraction of her nation’s poverty level. She would treasure any donation you might care to offer ~ http://www.UgiftABLE.com ● #72D-31S.

Please be aware that it takes several days for the poet to be notified of contributions. International patrons please contact the poet via email or post a comment for the necessary numbers.

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