he’ll grow inside a tree,
a blue tree, taller and
taller and tall, like
the sky, then he’ll climb
out of the tree and he
won’t have anybody
to play with him and
he’ll be sad, he’ll try
to climb up the tree
but it’s too hard, he’ll
go inside and tell
his daddy who’ll help
him climb up the tree
and he’s so happy, he’s
taller than the tree.
Between books and Netflix
Walmart throw blankets
A sound machine that mimics rain
I find myself
somewhere within a comfortable trance
you are with me
somewhere
in the kitchen
at your desk
walking down the hall yet again
You always remain even in the harshest of circumstances
And when the book ends or I forget to pay the Netflix subscription
you’ll still be there in their absence
A constant presence
Attention: please enjoy the carb packed
breakfast of
coffee &
donuts: quite an example of
Extrinsic Motivation, right? Bonus:
free tote bag! Feeling that sugar rush yet? Now
grab your seat and fill out a nametag:
Hello, my name is. First on our agenda:
Icebreakers. Next, we will read a slideshow featuring the latest
jargon followed by–we are so excited about this–a
keynote edustar who hasn’t taught for a decade but Tweets several times a day.
Lunch options: barbeque sandwich or chicken salad for our vegetarian guests. After lunch,
more jargon and
new names we invented for
old strategies because the
pedagogical pendulum does swing.
Quitting? Yes, we are in an Educational Crisis, but
remember your Why. Write it on this
sticky note.
Talk about it with your elbow partner.
Understand that we
value you as professionals (who make our jobs possible).
We hope you leave today with practical strategies (you can put them in your tote).
Extra donuts are left from breakfast (you could put a few in your tote).
You should get an email from us soon about the required August
Zoom meeting. No donuts, but we’ll spend a few hours digging into the data!
The tumor board said you need chemo,
something about “too aggressive”.
We had been so excited-
lymph noses were negative,
the margins were clear.
“pathology
concerning”
Need a
scarf?
It begins with unyielding rock,
stacked sediment, sundried till
the first smattering of rain dares
to breach and weather, break down
the vast emptiness of the smooth slab,
induce divots like footprints of water,
whorls of a Starry Night, linked
into a labyrinth of cavernous dips
worn by liquid ink, weathered by
my words, eroding stone for story.
took a walk
and finally let go
of at least some of it
grateful for the hazy sky
and wildflowers
bees buzzing
bunnies
some species of decorated bird
goodbye to the angst and turmoil
until another day
Because I know you are not endgame,
We are not endgame
And that’s okay, I’ve accepted it
All I want is right now,
I want to live and breathe every moment right now
I do not want to live for the future
Or live for finding my future
I want to be exactly where I’m supposed to be right now
Doing what I should be,
And making memories with people in the right now
Because right now is all we have
The past is the past
And the future is not guaranteed
We will never be more alive than we are right now
Right now is all we are,
I want to live only in the right now
Beauty is a loving balm
that seeks to heal
the ache of death riding the horizon
drives by in a blur, shoots randomly
drops bombs, breathes fire
Is that death now? — Revving up his engine
in the parking lot?
Why does he park so close to the house?
He encircles us
stepping lightly
I hear fingertips touching
the mural on our side wall
gliding even closer
leaning in
but then a stumble
hesitating
stillness
a deafening silence
before he moves on
into the dark of night
The Beauty of Morning
finds his broken bottles
and medicinal discards by our gate
He did not find
what he wanted
here last night
and
rode on
