Me. Selfish.

How selfish I have been
to pain that is around me
Inside my own hurt and grief
Isolated in this cocoon
Then suddenly when I think
My pain is to much to withstand
My eyes are open to the pain that
Is in so many lives
That run parallel to mine
Why was I so blind
Why didn't I see
It is the human condition
To care for oneself above others
I hope to change that condition
In myself, with help of course

~~ ap. 30, 2011

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me

you see me and think i am afraid.
i'm not that's just your stereotype.
the thought is that when you approach
i am to shake in fear for your kind
is never good.
but really i see past that stereotype
i see a human who is different, yes
and yet so similar.
life has treated you in a manner that
has been difficult, i'm sure.
i am not negating the fact that life
has been easier for my kind
but you can't lump me like they
do you.
i am certainly different and you
would find that my life and yours
they aren't so different.
there are similarities if you could
see past the differences.

~~april 17, 2011

research writing

sitting at the desk
writing, writing, writing
words flowing freely
everything seemingly fits
the chances of this turning
out as we had dreamed
seemed just that, a
concoction of the mind
but now seeing it come
to fruition makes the
heart sing and the
ego swell.

~april 16, 2011

TOLERANCE

irrational fear
leads to
distrust
leads to
TOLERANCE
leads to
understanding
leads to
acceptance

really? it could go either way.

~~april 1, 2011

so this is a poem that reads from the inside out.  read it like this "tolerance leads to distrust leads to irrational fear" THEN like this "tolerance leads to understanding leads to acceptance really? it could go up or down."

Part of this is a quote from Farewell to Manzanar a memoir about the Japanese internment in the Sierra Nevada's and the other piece is what my students and I discussed about tolerance taking the opposite spectrum and they came up with the words.  I came up with the format.  We discussed the idea that tolerance is "patience and putting up with someone/thing" but sometimes if you are patient long enough you realize that it really is OK that they are the way they are and once you understand them you begin to accept them for who they are.
Cool, huh?  I love teaching teenagers (most days anyway)

Library of Congress

The history in the room
fascinating and alive.
The time spent,
beneficial.
Discussions, thoughts
and understanding
brings a way to acceptance.

~~april 2, 2011

LOVE!

Little boys smiles and
gifts given
just because
slowly give
way to grumbly
miles that
seem to be
able to last
forever and
then...
a light
glows one
day and
you see the
wide toothy
grin that
was once given
so freely.

~april 8, 2011

Repair

moving along
functioning fine
and then a
hitch happens
to my stride
a flood of
tears as my
heart appears
to be ripped out of
my chest again.
no words exchanged
no looks either
just pain
beyond repair.

~april 9, 2011