From April 21, 2016. I thought about writing a poem that described how I was feeling. Realized I had already written one: She told meThat someone told herTo set asideTimeEach day for aReckoning,A counting of thingsOne carries. After checking my pockets,My shoulders,My soul, I have thisListOf what I brought to school today:My tea thermosA schoolContinue reading “Poetry Month Day 11: Emptying the Pockets”
Tag Archives: national poetry month
Poetry Month Day 7: How I’m Doing
Eachday Imove myselfstart to finish,not quite knowing how Ihave theenergyto keep goingbut somehow I do… Ido thinkprobablyI could use sometime to just relax. Sometimes, when I’m looking for a way to post a poem for the day, I’ll look around for a poetic form I’ve been waiting to try. Today, it’s the Arun, a poemContinue reading “Poetry Month Day 7: How I’m Doing”
Poetry Month Day 5: Life as a Poet
It’s a blessingcursetolive in metaphor:to seesun pushing through clouds,a shoelace refusing to relinquish its knots,extra-long stoplights, a stubbed toe,wondering if these things carry meaning or just are what they are and wondering ifthat’s yet another metaphor Today’s quadrille was inspired by Raivenne, one of the folks who challenge me to try something new here andContinue reading “Poetry Month Day 5: Life as a Poet”
Poetry Month Day 3: Birthday Tribute
Today my niece would have been twenty-one. Birthdays. They’re weird when the person we wish to celebrate is instead memorialized, made tribute-to. Grief is weird. Today, I’m sharing the poem I wrote last year because I don’t think I can do much better – but I’m adding an encouraging post-script for those of you whoContinue reading “Poetry Month Day 3: Birthday Tribute”
Poetry Month Day 30: Winding Down
All of the tasks about me are stacking upI’ve made and abandoned my to-liststhere is email waiting, work to gradeand please don’t ask about laundryor the comments and the postsOh, to inhale poemAnd exhale reliefAll I need arethe right wordsbut first –sleep Y’all, it’s been a long month. It’s been trying. I’ve been tested inContinue reading “Poetry Month Day 30: Winding Down”
Poetry Month Day 29: Signs
This eveningI sawout the doors of my gyma sun showerand after showinga six year-old howwonderful the smell of rain is I dodged the dropsto my carall the time lookingat the contrasting steel gray sky Knowing this was the perfect time and placefor rainbows. I craned my neckas I walked,then drove,scouring,searching,wonderinghow there couldNOTbe one anywhere AndContinue reading “Poetry Month Day 29: Signs”
Poetry Month Day 28: There Are Worse Things
than the obvious sources of joy: a box that arrivesout of the bluewith an armful of booksand a brainfull of ideas or a pupper who plays,overjoyedwith absolutelyeverysingle toy she can find(especially when they squeak) the smell of lilacscoming to mein odd wavesas I step out of the caror turn the corner around the block andContinue reading “Poetry Month Day 28: There Are Worse Things”
Poetry Month Day 27: Once Upon A Time
Of the ohsomanysoapboxes I yell from,there’s one that lies at the bottomthe one upon whichall others stand It’s the one I first uncoveredin the dimly-lit museumat the base of the Gateway Archas I listenedraptto the storyteller and I couldn’t even tell youwho it wasand I couldn’t even tell youwhat they toldjustthat I wanted to beContinue reading “Poetry Month Day 27: Once Upon A Time”
Sunday Sit-Down #14:
Each Sunday, I’m working my way through my experiences with race. I’ll share stories and memories from throughout my life. I know I’ll encounter moments of growth that I wish I could relive. I’ll also have to think back on choices that I wish I could remake. Come join me each week. I remember inContinue reading “Sunday Sit-Down #14:”
Poetry Month Day 24: Repairing the World
There was a lot that I enjoyed about writing today’s poem. For one, it came as a surprising counterbalance to yesterday’s post. I also gathered inspiration from my time today with an incredible group of educators through the Just Schools Cohort. The work my colleagues do inspires me to do better, to be better. That,Continue reading “Poetry Month Day 24: Repairing the World”
Soapbox: The Way I see Things 