beliefs

The Longest Mile

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just one mile walk home
to car-shop drop-off frenzy
begin evening stress

science fair project
won’t keep quiet on my mind
leaves alleviate

no avocados?
two wheels, backpacked ride to store
guacamole dreams

oldest cycles home
begins three-shower cycle
all by six-forty

spicy tacos rest
on spicy dream-home dispute
taste still in my mouth

all ’cause he worked late
foreshadowing our future:
crap hours, low pay

sacrifice my peace
for shut-in civility?
i’d rather be poor

rich are days with him
those hours in his absence?
a chronic longing

even the girls cry
as they will with no ‘good nights’
tears don’t buy us time

the two-income trap
snagging our life with more debt
all for image, greed

just one mile walk back
where refugee students wait,
offer perspective

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Breathing Lessons

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bag on, keys in hand
lights still off, door prop broken
they wait for me here

never a moment
to take a breath or a rest
once here? i breathe them

spinning hat cycle
switch styles: students, admin
teach, plan, grade, succumb

bag down, keys waiting
lights come on, i work past dark
they wait for me there

somewhere in between
i put on the mama hat
dinner, bed cuddling

i dream of yoga
breathing in, out, stretching soul
hats off, i breathe them

Citations

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poorly-worded goal
provided by school district
let’s confuse students

find main idea,
three facts, underlying themes
cite text evidence

even in haiku
i clarify what they can’t
why are they in charge?

come home to harsh truths:
charter school rules, union blues
paradox, my life

my new objective:
theme that saves main idea
minus the details

(life is a challenge
of unplugged net books, low pay;
cite love to survive)

Choir Practice

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with stressed frustration
my mother’s voice comes through mine
i’m a child again

only now? my girl
is the brunt of my anger
yet she bounces back

resilience through love
something i was missing then
my mom aches to fix

life’s a big regret
played out in haunted voices
singing us to sleep

Dark Spotlight

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once my side of town
now the other side of death
my heart aches for you

white clown suit darkness
metaphor for life we live
hidden in darkness

how he played guitar
for my beautiful best friend
for my soul sister

i am a true friend
because my love never stops
my love never stops

it starts with the truth
the truth of that death moment
when you were reborn

when i cried for you
you hate to cry publicly
even for our love

spotlight on darkness
as bright as mansions’ windows
or September rain

either way, we love
living for the dark secrets
while god drives us home

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Carnival Carol

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start and end with work
how ungodly my Sunday
blessings everywhere

painted face friends grin
i enjoy two thirds of joy
my kids everywhere

from Iraq, Burma
Eritrea, refugees
whose faces aren’t here

i guide them with words
never as harsh as a mom
because they’ve suffered

my girls? only joy
bestowed on Americans
with rich white privilege

no way to explain
my work-fair-filled church-less day
may God bless us all

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Chef’s Special

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world of escape
found with taste of native tongue
were they even trapped?

you demand rigor
i serve it up, fully cooked
and yet, i get baked

i prefer full bites
not watered-down salt swallows
burnt ineptitude

i’d make an omelette
or black brownies you’ve turned down
but why waste the taste?

full on tongue, this love
so salt-sweet you’d live for it
as i do for them

but, let’s have plain eggs.
brownies too dark for breakfast?
how fast you break me

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Glory Be Home

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environs burning
a newly bright beginning
but are you two-faced?
will you sell my soul for yours?
beautiful, that face of yours

my girl as witness
to the only one i trust
how she knows my heart

i stand in ashes
created by betrayal
all the years back, us
how you’d turn that pretty face
and become the enemy

but leaves are falling
and i crunch my way back home
you’ll never hear it

half-circle of chairs
watching dog-walkers pass by
we munch our minions
share the glory of our days
glory be home to our days

Data-Driven InstructionS

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to be number one
it takes a community
not a dictator

it’s all in the scores
that bring you to beg for wealth
what about teachers?

did you ever think
that if you led us higher
we could climb mountains?

success is not wealth
it’s not wrapped in white ribbon
it’s inside our kids

and who holds the key
the one that unlocks their tale?
teachers led by you

step down, open doors:
your choice will make or break us
break us, then break them

to be number one
you have to love all colors
and see beyond scores

Teach Like a Champion

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ten months ago, dead:
my heart, when you told me that
(teaching is in me)

but you couldn’t teach
you could only criticize
i’m phoenix rising

with hate, you inspired
with love, i put students first
and guess what? we win

a perfect lesson
fits into care and action
not criticism

if only you’d see:
guide a better tomorrow
we’d want to stay here

but we’re not all strong
or feathers-renewable
with love, you could win

with love, we will win
my students and i? winners
please don’t burn feathers

tap your inner soul
for god’s sake, read the right book
allow us to fly