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[collation]

KNOWING HOW YOU LOVED THE BIRDS / I FIXED THEM TO THE TREES / SO THEY WOULDN'T FLY AWAY. / SO YOU WOULD STAY. / AND YOU REMAINED SILENT / AND NEVER QUESTIONED MY BLOODY PALMS / OR REPROACHED ME THE BIRDS / BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T SING. — excerpt from BEAUTY AND THE BEAST by JAMES ALSOP