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
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
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
a three-foot hallway
blanket, last year’s science boards
fort made of magic
here we play cadoo
spin tales with pictures and acts
clinging to our youth
she begs to cuddle
as morning melts into noon
always my baby
we play piano
i grade, then guide her through math
later, a hike fight
sun swallows the creek
as they beg back summer swims
but leaves are gold-tipped
the baby departs
we have our own sleepover
with love, city lights
they spin spaghetti
dance beside beer cyclists
here we fall for fall
should have known better
taught the oldest to shave legs
sis shaved off eyebrow
parenthood surprise
mushroom tag and night riding
her shame forgotten
watching them grow up
better than the science fair
lab filled with laughter
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
grievous homecoming
tinged with touch of puberty
parenthood pain lasts
mountain riverbed
gold against blue aspen fire
drive dipped in heaven
waterfall delights
imaginative girls’ eyes
a doll’s paradise
toes dipped in ice falls
while leaves leave us dipped in gold
summer dipped in fall
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
staff development:
the after school detention
for over-booked teachers
grading until ten:
another form of torture
i put myself through
tomorrow’s feedback:
priceless words that they’ll revise
i live, love for them
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