Fran Claggett-Holland sitting in her poetry roomfor Fran on her 96th birthday 2025 she never pushed— a casual come visit my dogs, bring along poems her gift, time and presence, could she have foreseen the alchemy? unanticipated in my aging quiet kindness a generous mentor pointing new pathways the spareness of words in night’s quiet words wake me bring me to my desk fire up my computer and wait this time is delicate begs caution, care, deep listening— Fran taught me, poems make their own world