| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Flower Fables by Louisa May Alcott: forest-trees shone like a many-colored garland, over hill and plain;
and here, along the ripening corn-fields, with bright wreaths of
crimson leaves and golden wheat-ears in her hair and on her purple
mantle, stately Autumn passed, with a happy smile on her calm face,
as she went scattering generous gifts from her full arms.
But when the wandering Spirit came to her, and asked for what she
sought, this season, like the others, could not tell her where to go;
so, giving her a yellow leaf, Autumn said, as she passed on,--
"Ask Winter, little Ripple, when you come to his cold home; he knows
the Fire-Spirits well, for when he comes they fly to the earth,
to warm and comfort those dwelling there; and perhaps he can tell you
 Flower Fables |
The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from The Three Taverns by Edwin Arlington Robinson: The New Tenants
The day was here when it was his to know
How fared the barriers he had built between
His triumph and his enemies unseen,
For them to undermine and overthrow;
And it was his no longer to forego
The sight of them, insidious and serene,
Where they were delving always and had been
Left always to be vicious and to grow.
And there were the new tenants who had come,
By doors that were left open unawares,
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from The Princess by Alfred Tennyson: Far off from men I built a fold for them:
I stored it full of rich memorial:
I fenced it round with gallant institutes,
And biting laws to scare the beasts of prey
And prospered; till a rout of saucy boys
Brake on us at our books, and marred our peace,
Masked like our maids, blustering I know not what
Of insolence and love, some pretext held
Of baby troth, invalid, since my will
Sealed not the bond--the striplings! for their sport!--
I tamed my leopards: shall I not tame these?
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