My Imaginary Garden  -by Laura

“Mary, Mary quite contrary” is the beginning of a children’s poem about a magical garden, but my garden would not have “cockle shells and silver bells and pretty maids all in a row.”  Instead it would be more like a miniature forest with dwarf pine and maple trees no more than four beet tall.  Under the trees would be tiny thatched-roofed cottages and living in those little huts would be living lawn gnomes no more than six inches tall.  They would wear brightly colored clothes and matching, pointed hats and shoes.  I’d watch them planting gardens of vegetables and flowers and trimming their miniscule apple and pear trees.  There would be a tailor’s shop, a cobbler’s shop, a school and a meeting hall where the little people could get together to discuss community business.  In the evening they would sit around tiny campfires singing songs and telling stories and I would join in the fun.  I would keep their existence a complete secret to protect my wee friends from prying eyes and possible exploitation.  My little world would be a refuge where I would know peace and contentment in my sometimes troubled and disappointing life.

If I Could Be Anyone – by Sue

I am free and proud to be me.  I am enjoying my life being single, I have no one to tell me what to do, trying to control my life.  I get up when I want, eat wheat I want, go where I want to go, to bed when I want.  I will never allow another man to tell me what to do.  Thank God for Divorces!