| The first excerpt represents the past or something you must release, and is drawn from Flame and Shadow by Sara Teasdale: I see the oak woods at Saxton's flaming
In a flare of crimson by the frost newly fired;
And I am thirsty for the spring in the valley
As for a kiss ungiven and long desired.
I know a bright world of snowy hills at Boonton,
A blue and white dazzling light on everything one sees,
The ice-covered branches of the hemlocks sparkle
Bending low and tinkling in the sharp thin breeze,
And iridescent crystals fall and crackle on the snow-crust
With the winter sun drawing cold blue shadows from the trees.
Violet now, in veil on veil of evening
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The second excerpt represents the present or the deciding factor of the moment, and is drawn from Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia by Samuel Johnson: fabric intended to co-extend its duration with that of the world:
he showed that its gradual diminution gave it such stability as
defeated all the common attacks of the elements, and could scarcely
be overthrown by earthquakes themselves, the least resistible of
natural violence. A concussion that should shatter the pyramid
would threaten the dissolution of the continent.
They measured all its dimensions, and pitched their tents at its
foot. Next day they prepared to enter its interior apartments, and
having hired the common guides, climbed up to the first passage;
when the favourite of the Princess, looking into the cavity,
stepped back and trembled. "Pekuah," said the Princess, "of what
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The third excerpt represents the future or something you must embrace, and is drawn from Father Goriot by Honore de Balzac: Germain, it is because I shall meet you there."
"Mme. de Beauseant's note seems to say very plainly that she does
not expect to see the BARON de Nucingen at her ball; don't you
think so?" said Eugene.
"Why, yes," said the Baroness as she returned the letter. "Those
women have a talent for insolence. But it is of no consequence, I
shall go. My sister is sure to be there, and sure to be very
beautifully dressed.--Eugene," she went on, lowering her voice,
"she will go to dispel ugly suspicions. You do not know the
things that people are saying about her. Only this morning
Nucingen came to tell me that they had been discussing her at the
 Father Goriot |