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After the president's full
dress press conference

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this afternoon, one might
feel that poetry reading

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is somewhat anticlimactic.

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Nevertheless, I would like
to read a variety of poems

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from a number of books
published in the last few years.

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We here are probably
all disciples, at least

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in some sense, of that word.

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And the first poem that
I'd like to read perhaps

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sets the stage for many
of those to follow.

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And it is, curiously enough,
entitled "Disciples".

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Can you hear me all
right in the back rows?

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Yes.

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Thank you.

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"Disciples".

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"Downstairs in the dark, the
meat of the halved avocado

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waits for you
within folded hands.

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The moon rises, a yellow
bean above the rusted trees.

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A wolf looks through our rooms.

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All by itself at midnight,
the silverware in the drawer

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rattles.

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Proclaiming a false dawn,
the telephone rings.

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Do not fear.

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We don't believe these things."