Smallish bees crawl up her nose
gather sweets for winter treats

At least you didn’t make any typos that I caught. Your comment does make sense, but it rambles from the problem of overpopulation into the sanctity of marriage. I support you on that sidetrack. But where you glibly say that war and illness will naturally correct overpopulation, I must complain about the suffering such corrections cause. If we are doing any better than past generations at making life better and alleviating suffering, let us look for means of stopping life before it starts, not after it outwits the planet, or kills itself fighting over resources. Surely, modern humanity can agree on this basic premise.

And if the mind and body are trapped, they look for any way out.

One dictionary says layed, but downrates the usage as improper. Maybe it can be done either way.

Arguments loke this should be won by the person having the most to lose if his way is not followed. I yield the world's future to you.

Amanda is not one of them, but she has said that most of the women in India are virtually enslaved to their husbands and have far more children than they want. We cannot just tell them to rebel. But it is WRONG. It's a society problem that will kill the earth as we know it if something doesn't change.

"Absolute liberty" for women is better than slavery of women, which we have, for the most part in India and other countries where women have many more children than in the UK and the US. The goal should be no more than two children per woman, and yes, oterh remideis besides "absolute freedom" are good. But studies show that if women are given the choice, they will have far fewer babies in third world countries than they do now.

Thanks for reading it thrice. What I said was more like “More hands = more chickens = more revenue.” The problem is that our present six-billion population is destined for nine billion by 2050 if we don’t scrap that idea. And women all over the world are mostly willing to scrap it, if only their ruling men would agree.

The concept of finality is a transient one, unless we’re talking about death. Everything else seems to me non-final. We can say that something has ended – a marriage, a job, college, parenthood, an amputated limb – but it has a way of resurrecting, like her decision never to read poetry again.

I had to laugh at your suggestion on “marvel and laugh,” not because it isn’t metrically better, it is, but because you hold such a high regard for meter. You are a poet, while I am a mere philosopher.

The “extreme result” is her decision based on feelings of bitterness and hurt. It’s meant to show that in such an emotional state, our thinking loses objectivity and clarity. It mires in our perceived dilemma.

Awkward wording might show that, if I could figure a way to word it awkwardly without sounding like a clutz.

Yes, I think you did, though I don't know a 'Mr. Tanner.' I seldom delete, but this cried out for it one late evening. Then after some changes, walla', it's back. "lack of finality" is reality of many real-life events, isn't it? Maybe she will read again someday, but at this point in time, the ending is final.

Regarding stressed syllables at stanza ends, I fail to see the need for it. I know you are much more atuned to the sound of poems than I am, so perhaps you can convince me of the need.

I disagree, it's no better than Edna.