Three Black Feathers
And Other Poems
by
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The Reformed
There are few folks who will victimize their audience
worse than reformed smokers and reformed alcoholics.
They want to hold your hand,
to tell you how they quit cold turkey,
to tell you how they quit again and again,
to tell you again and again how they quit.
They want to make their victories your victories,
and your defeats they put down
to weaknesses in character or ancestors.
“She's just like Uncle Charlie,” they say.
“We had to pull him out of the fireplace,
or he'd have burned up last Christmas.”
And they shake their heads sadly,
never seeing themselves as they were once
just like Uncle Charlie or old Aunt Jane,
who coughs herself to sleep every night.
Let us be patient with the reformed.
We who have never been addicted
know not the courage it takes
to break the addiction. Therefore,
rebuke not the reformed smoker;
rebuke not the reformed alcoholic;
rebuke not the reformed drug addict.
They have fought their demons,
and vanquishing them, they have
a right to be proud of their victories.
Just try to avoid being caught one on one.
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About the Book
This book represents a lifetime of accumulated insights about the human condition plus empathy, concern, and wonderment about nature, God, family, and memories. Many of the subjects it touches should bear a resemblance to things, people, and ideas that are com- mon to mature readers.
About the Author
Lue Williams grew up on a farm, graduated from college, taught thirty-three years in public schools and fifteen years in adult high school and GED classes for the local community college. She and her husband, Pinkney, are the parents of four children and the grandparents of four. Since his death in 2004, she has become the great grandmother of two.
As the children were growing up, we had great adventures camping, fishing, and raising goats, chickens, horses, dogs,and pigs, and kids.
Although in her eighties, Lue still gardens, reads avidly, pieces quilts for her church relief agency, writes, studies the Bible, and plays Rook.
One of her favorite memories (besides of the children and grandchildren) is fishing in the Gulf Stream without getting seasick.