beyond the blue dawn,
the stop lights, houses, traffic–
pink mountain sunrise
it’s like their love poems–
so cheesy; adolescent;
(in their second tongue)
Silverstein turned down
so they could find their own muse
and make my Wednesday
they practice reading,
words chopped by heavy accents;
beautiful and sharp
i can see clearly
the pink peaks; hear soft words lost
behind busy streets
it’s the glimpse of hope
caught in this lens, in their voices
that’s worth stopping for
the world lives here
where i spend half of my life
blessed to share this space
in mineral baths
i mock a tropical life
(yet i’m still so cold)
the snow drives us home
a lion-like March exit
to freeze my failure
nothing can replace
all the hours without them
now bathed with worse score
Spanglish park play date
joy found amongst las ramas
friend language rooted
(questionable choice–
my student’s family, my girls–
here we cross borders)
Spanish test failure
topped off with plainsong friend walk
to relieve my doubts
everything’s better
with melting snow and spring skies
to wash away fear
my colleague had
Teacher Tequila Tuesday.
i ran three miles, carpooled kids,
cooked vegan chili and cornbread,
gathered girls from play date,
showered, did our taxes,
spoke in Spanish por teléfono,
and never slurred a word.
he may be Mr. Popularity.
but i win this Tuesday.
yard work and bike ride
Spanish practice once again
simple spring Sunday
Cartagena dream
brought to me by bicycle,
fate, and Friday luck
scheduling request
based on lawsuits they have lost
adds work to my plate
there’s no equity
for teachers, kids, or parents
trying to get by
so i’ll wake early
make gradebooks for fake classes
and do twice the work
i just want to know:
who has time to litigate
with kids in their life?
questions unanswered
to close a winter Monday
just sprinkled with sun
i’d like to break free
like our DNA pea lab
(alcohol release)
they questioned this choice
(this isn’t science class, Miss!) yet their eyes were bright
bright eyes keep me sane
when dark thoughts hover so close
to this extraction
they see where love is
hidden in cells’ nuclei
ready to break free
Step Write Up 