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By Jack Joseph Smith

f oT hope -he-didn't because: he thought he couldn't’ be-by himsel? anymore; I 'guess- he-didn't want anyone else around if he couldn't be with his familys I wender- if he was: there-when we- were’ undressing: and then went away because he: knew we-reatly wanted te be there- and he didn't want’ te frighten ueg Gee Danfed; next‘ time-we go-to the apple trees- lets-really leok around fer Mrs Metzes-and tell’ him we-like-him cause he has- such pretty apples:and ail and weeknew ‘he must be happy when he wakessup in the morning anffleeks-at his- trees I bet’ ne ene elbe-im Mount Lebanom would’ ever sleep im a place like: that'at night, especially when there are: insane people walking: areund in Kennedy forest all’ the times Mri .Metzes- must be brave and if he-saw-ua- teday he-must think we-are brave too,’ I'm really happy Danis: and I really: leve Metzes fields It's-so-much fun to rym eo fark! I guess: I better- go home news! Are-yeu guys geing to play any more or anythings Ne, I'm going te ge heme-tos® Byo< Bye See-you tomorrows oxy We-went back' many timessand through many epringeythe place-Mr, .Metzea: had gone away from became eyr heme-of love and life and dashing hermer- and singing jey we-carriéd in our souls-for the alee of eur livess I thought ef him when Iran as-an achient child that burned acsighn im the heavens: in brig begining of eachngpring- em the coming yearss That field would be tevened + ‘the same high : wild wheat’ and I would burn it from ene end to the other: when the wind was: blowing away from the applestreeas I was-never foynd out and I used te stand belew the hill in front of my home and watch the flames twist in sacrifice ,

Original Scan

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AI Interpretation

GPT

The longing to find Mister Metzes deepens into a vow of return, and the field is remembered as a lifelong home of love, humor, spring fire, and sacrificial wildness.

The strongest movement is from one afternoon's adventure into something almost sacred and permanent. Burning the wheat turns the place into ritual memory, as if childhood freedom and destruction are both offerings made under his vanished gaze.

Claude

The closing of the apple episode states the annual fire-burning plan openly — burn the wheat when the wind blows away from the apple trees — and only when they start building homes on the hill does the speaker stop.