The following would not exist without my travel companion Julia, after whom it is named, and fellow poet Samuel Peralta.
In particular, see his brilliant 12 Stones on a Necklace, the twelfth stanza of which I have adapted into the first three lines of this poem.
* 14 July 2009 Samuel Peralta, who initially gave permission to publish this poem with attribution, now feels that it breaches his copyright. This poem has been removed. Sorry :(
