Baptism

Last spring, the Home Forum published a poem called ''Promise.'' It later came to our attention, however, that several phrases were identical to those in a poem by Joseph Arnett called ''Baptism,'' which was published in an anthology by Fanferon Press in 1981. Here is the complete text of the original poem by Mr. Arnett, as it appeared in the anthology.

Listen. It comes up the valley carried up over the hills on a great wind. Hear it in the promise of rain, the movement in the orchard. The moment arrives and I stand, shedding garments like old lives and turn to where the river flows dark beneath the trees. I hesitate once, cold water grabbing my legs, then plunge into the blackness. Three times I go under in the cold then rise, clawing for the other side. It starts to rain. On the other side I wandered till dawn and found nothing. Nothing but myself and the rain drenched forest the swishing of trees and the white heart of thunder.

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