my heart is warmed by your embrace since the beginning of “us” my life has become whole my thoughts are more clear because you have given me peace and joy you are my smile you radiate my sunshine you are special beyond magnificent and you are mine...
they laughed when we told them we’d seen that UFO!!! but it was fascinating to see and others saw it, too it ended up in the newspaper but we saw it right there above the water as it hovered over Lake Erie and scared my boyfriend running home to mama! and she laughed and called us nuts it was summer in 1966 and I saw what I saw and now I know for sure there is intelligent life elsewhere in this universe...
I was angry once at a so called friend who betrayed my trust It became tedious to smile and be friendly to her face so, what i did was challenge her by calling out her crimes I told her in the eye I would never trust her again I was ready for some punches I’d called a thief a thief but she glared her eyes and stormed away and I’ve never seen her since...
I really meant to write something new for this and I still might, but when thinking of bizarre things, I thought of my first year teaching, and this set of poems from "Yo Miss! I Need a Pencil!", my book about that year, came to mind. I included the small prose segment because of the "what did you do with the anger" part. Together, they do fit all three prompts.
MISJUDGEMENT
Hazika in a foul mood. It’s Friday. I am tired, view her as bad, not changed from usual good, don’t see something’s gone wrong.
She pushes. I push back. Verbal showdown. "No," I say. You can’t go to the bathroom until you do some work. She sits, enraged,
stews, then gets up to storm out of class. I close the door, angry, hold it tightly. She pushes, shoves past. I call the office,
tell them she’s gone, assume it is over. Summoned to the principal’s office, I’m told she screamed like a wildcat, fought like one,
went ballistic and bit the principal. Her mother took her to the hospital. I wait, but she is absent four days now.
---
Hazika is back in my class today. She sits quietly, looks embarrassed. I smile at her. She smiles shyly. Dezi says to her, “Hey, did you go crazy?” I say, “Don’t we all sometimes? Ready to work with the Snap Cubes?” I smile at them both, against Jed’s command not to smile before Christmas. Everything is cool. We play. We learn. We move on.
---
BLANCA AND HAZIKA couplets
Blanca takes my hand and holds it tightly, serious, eyebrows knit
says, "I heard that girl who pushed you come back to school." I ask her who
she means. My hand still held she turns to Carly, speaks Spanish, concern
apparent in her voice, turns back. "Hazika", she says and nods. No slack
in grip, I wonder what she means by this, not wanting any scenes.
I tell her Hazika’s good, had a day where things got very bad.
"She give you any problems, I’ll take care of her." Dumbfounded, I shake
my head, a loss for words to say, Blanca lets go my hand, "OK?"
---
BLANCA’S GONE a villanelle
Blanca didn’t go home last night but came to school this morning still in need of friends to hold her tight.
Her foster mother waited right there, social worker too, both shrill. Blanca didn’t go home last night.
She saw them, turned and ran, took flight to find someone who cared, until in need of friends to hold her tight,
there was nowhere to go. She’d fight. They called the cops against her will. Blanca didn’t go home last night.
She won’t be back this time. Her light gone from my classroom leaves a chill in need of friends. To hold her tight,
I wish I could rock her, say bright futures await her to fulfill. Blanca didn’t go home last night, in need of friends to hold her tight.
Wow, when I read these the first time my emotions went wild. I got tears in my eyes and I felt chills in my body . Well, now I read them again and WOW, I had all the same feelings!!! Power poetry!!!
How can it be that so much time has passed? When all those years seem but a blink of eye. Best friends as we have been both you and I We've traveled hand in hand from first to last.
You have encouraged me, as I have you We've grown together happily and seen The triumphs gained and losses that have been The roads we've taken as we've passed on through.
I have embraced you with desirous arms You've given me much pleasure all our days, Not just with hands but in so many ways, As you've displayed your dear, entrancing charms.
How many years will it turn out to be? Just call it what it is, eternity.
Well I did get inspired to rise to the challenge after all.
Is This Bizarre?
I couldn't think of anything bizarre except perhaps the serendipity that seems to guide the progress of my days. No matter how I plan what I will do where go, or not, my path evolves itself. At times I know not where that way will lead yet I must follow it with faith and love. Some people think to live that was is odd, Yet being used to it, it suits me fine.
ReplyDeletemy heart is warmed
by your embrace
since the beginning
of “us”
my life has become whole
my thoughts are more clear
because you have given me
peace and joy
you are my smile
you radiate my sunshine
you are special beyond
magnificent and you
are mine...
This is my first poem. I’m going to do all 3!
DeleteVery sweet and nice flow.
DeleteSweet and powerful at the same time. I don't think you need the lines "since the beginning / of us."
Deletesomething bizarre
ReplyDeletethey laughed when we told them
we’d seen that UFO!!!
but it was fascinating to see
and others saw it, too
it ended up in the newspaper
but we saw it right there
above the water
as it hovered over Lake Erie
and scared my boyfriend
running home to mama!
and she laughed
and called us nuts
it was summer
in 1966
and I saw what I saw
and now I know for sure
there is intelligent life
elsewhere in this
universe...
Oh my what an experience!!! Truly bizarre, and quite fascinating.
DeleteI remember you telling me about that. Truly bizarre. And I think the poem ends at "and I saw what I saw."
Delete
ReplyDeleteI was angry once
at a so called friend
who betrayed my trust
It became tedious to smile
and be friendly to her face
so, what i did
was challenge her
by calling out her crimes
I told her in the eye
I would never trust her again
I was ready for some punches
I’d called a thief a thief
but she glared her eyes
and stormed away
and I’ve never seen
her since...
I find this kind of sad. For you of course, but for her too, that she would likely never have real friends if that was how she was.
DeleteInteresting outcome...she must have been sooo embarrassed!
ReplyDeleteI really meant to write something new for this and I still might, but when thinking of bizarre things, I thought of my first year teaching, and this set of poems from "Yo Miss! I Need a Pencil!", my book about that year, came to mind. I included the small prose segment because of the "what did you do with the anger" part. Together, they do fit all three prompts.
ReplyDeleteMISJUDGEMENT
Hazika in a foul mood. It’s Friday.
I am tired, view her as bad, not changed from
usual good, don’t see something’s gone wrong.
She pushes. I push back. Verbal showdown.
"No," I say. You can’t go to the bathroom
until you do some work. She sits, enraged,
stews, then gets up to storm out of class.
I close the door, angry, hold it tightly.
She pushes, shoves past. I call the office,
tell them she’s gone, assume it is over.
Summoned to the principal’s office, I’m
told she screamed like a wildcat, fought like one,
went ballistic and bit the principal.
Her mother took her to the hospital.
I wait, but she is absent four days now.
---
Hazika is back in my class today. She sits quietly, looks embarrassed. I smile at her. She smiles shyly.
Dezi says to her, “Hey, did you go crazy?”
I say, “Don’t we all sometimes? Ready to work with the Snap Cubes?” I smile at them both, against Jed’s command not to smile before Christmas.
Everything is cool. We play. We learn. We move on.
---
BLANCA AND HAZIKA
couplets
Blanca takes my hand and holds it
tightly, serious, eyebrows knit
says, "I heard that girl who pushed you
come back to school." I ask her who
she means. My hand still held she turns
to Carly, speaks Spanish, concern
apparent in her voice, turns back.
"Hazika", she says and nods. No slack
in grip, I wonder what she means
by this, not wanting any scenes.
I tell her Hazika’s good, had
a day where things got very bad.
"She give you any problems, I’ll take
care of her." Dumbfounded, I shake
my head, a loss for words to say,
Blanca lets go my hand, "OK?"
---
BLANCA’S GONE
a villanelle
Blanca didn’t go home last night
but came to school this morning still
in need of friends to hold her tight.
Her foster mother waited right
there, social worker too, both shrill.
Blanca didn’t go home last night.
She saw them, turned and ran, took flight
to find someone who cared, until
in need of friends to hold her tight,
there was nowhere to go. She’d fight.
They called the cops against her will.
Blanca didn’t go home last night.
She won’t be back this time. Her light
gone from my classroom leaves a chill
in need of friends. To hold her tight,
I wish I could rock her, say bright
futures await her to fulfill.
Blanca didn’t go home last night,
in need of friends to hold her tight.
So interesting.Have you written this up as a book? It's a kind of poetic Blackboard Jungle.Kudos!
DeleteWow, when I read these the first time my emotions went wild. I got tears in my eyes and I felt chills in my body . Well, now I read them again and WOW, I had all the same feelings!!! Power poetry!!!
ReplyDeleteMy first attempt, not sure if i will be my only.
ReplyDelete40 years and Counting
How can it be that so much time has passed?
When all those years seem but a blink of eye.
Best friends as we have been both you and I
We've traveled hand in hand from first to last.
You have encouraged me, as I have you
We've grown together happily and seen
The triumphs gained and losses that have been
The roads we've taken as we've passed on through.
I have embraced you with desirous arms
You've given me much pleasure all our days,
Not just with hands but in so many ways,
As you've displayed your dear, entrancing charms.
How many years will it turn out to be?
Just call it what it is, eternity.
this is truly beautiful, Tasha. I loved the way you used travel to depict your years together ...
DeleteTo me life is a journey, and it's so nice to have an always traveling companion.
DeleteLovely envelope sonnet. The sentiment really is beautiful. It choked me up.
DeleteAnger Senryu
ReplyDeleteAnger makes me cry
which makes me even crosser
also embarrassed.
I really can relate with this...
DeleteAnd it is sooooo annoying!!! Thanks for that prompt. It really made me think.
DeleteMe too. I remember being that way even as a kid.
DeleteWell I did get inspired to rise to the challenge after all.
ReplyDeleteIs This Bizarre?
I couldn't think of anything bizarre
except perhaps the serendipity
that seems to guide the progress of my days.
No matter how I plan what I will do
where go, or not, my path evolves itself.
At times I know not where that way will lead
yet I must follow it with faith and love.
Some people think to live that was is odd,
Yet being used to it, it suits me fine.
it fits the prompt and is a pretty poem to boot! I like...my path evolves itself...
DeleteGood to hear.
DeleteLOL. Yup, fits me fine too.
DeleteThank you Linda for your comments. I truly appreciate each and every one of them.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Victoria for your comments. I am very grateful for them.
ReplyDeletewho’s next
ReplyDeletewho’s next
ReplyDeleteplease guys..it’s Sunday
ReplyDelete