There’s suddenly a wider variety of tone, an emotional latitude, A sense that the reader will be able to fill in the gaps, Even the possibility of humor. Why the difference? It isn’t the change in genre. It’s the change in the reader. You’re writing to someone who knows you, who understands your allusions, Your patterns of speech, who’s quick and empathetic In reading your thoughts and feelings, whether they’re spoken or unspoken. What makes this reader valuable is a sense of connection and kinship, An intuitive grasp of what you say and don’t say. You can make any piece feel like an informal
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