reminiscent of youth,
with undulating subtexts.
surging into the clouds
of mythology to increase doxology.
With power constrained
by rules of men, riding
fiery chariots over all.
High above, and
we mere mortals,
know…
pretend.
Dear Mayor Sullivan,
I stood on a sidewalk across from Bayshore Elementary with a picket sign. I was protesting the lack of response by Ben Hardwick, the school principal. Harvey Christie, a teacher at Bayshore was hitting the kids in my daughter’s classroom. And, the Anchorage School District was covering it up.
When we moved to Rogers Park to get away from the abusive adults at Bayshore, there was a sexual attack at that school. The negligent teacher was not removed and it was covered up by the Anchorage School District.
Limiting free speech scares me, because people in power will abuse any law for their own gain.
Carol Comeau stated that she received my letter the children were being hit and she chose to ignore it. I was harassed daily on my job, as a teacher within the Anchorage School District, after I stood with the picket sign.
People like Ms Comeau will use a new law limiting how people can use a public sidewalk to silence those she wants quiet.
We all need to hear what people have to say. We may learn something very important.
Sincerely,
Gloria Hanrahan
Dear Kim,
When I went to school, we did not have Title IX. I was so glad to think you would get some different opportunities to develop a healthy mind and body.
Imagine my surprise to find out there are no PE standards or curriculum for middle school in the Anchorage School District. When your dad and I met with Ms Bingham, she told us they did not grade you on how many laps you ran. She sat there and lied to us. I have spoken with other parents who have complained about the children being graded on running laps, yet nothing ever happened to change the situation.
When Ms Bingham lied, it was a reflection on her character. Not yours. What she was really doing was telling me I shouldn’t believe my child. Children should not be in a classroom with a teacher lies, so I pulled you from PE at Wendler.
What a shame that children in the Anchorage School District are denied the opportunity to explore and learn lifelong activity skills unless they have a good teacher. You didn’t get one and I am sorry.
Love,
Mom
My mother was a lousy cook
no recipes to be found
that came in a book.
The back of the cans,
the boxes and lids,
created our cookbook
to delight every kid.
No food which didn’t come out of a can
every graced our table or left her hand.
Ice cream was a staple,
and dairy for the troops.
McDonalds, Burger King and KFC
created dinner within the top food groups.
But when she cooked,
which I don’t really remember,
it must have been for a bake sale booth,
because I know I definitely inherited
her unstoppable, never-ending,
sweet tooth.
Someone at the middle school
gave a set of keys to me.
They opened the vault, the office,
anymore, and I was afraid to see!
**
How could they give out the keys
to a parent volunteer?
Incompetent, as my husband said,
they should
at least get a very big kick in the rear!
**
I gave them to the principal
and
He seemed a bit surprised.
I guess people were doing things behind his back,
is the best I can surmise.
**
Be very careful if someone ever tries
to hand you a key.
Because when eScrip receipts turn up missing,
and you point it out,
They will be mean to your child–
as mean as they can be.
**
They will have the 8th grade celebration
and purposely leave her out.
They will go on science field trips,
she’ll be told she can’t go–
because of something I said, no doubt.
**
She will be yelled and berated by the Band teacher,
and Ms Mayer will show movies with women in the nude
and Ms Barnes
will tell you–you are not to question her teaching
and
you better not intrude.
**
That key will change your perception
of what a parent is to do,
When the cafeteria manager takes food away from the children
and the monkeys
run the zoo.
**
The elephant sits in the room
a children’s story
to teach about a coming doom.
Ignore it at your own risk,
walk around it
making the pace brisk,
for if
the Elephant sits in the room,
the floor will eventually crash down
creating a lonely, private
echoing tomb.
************
linked here
When you are a gardener
you are compelled
to plant the seeds.
Churn the earth
bring up to the top,
to meet the poppy’s needs.
If you are a gardener
you know how time will foil,
those best laid plans,
with weathered demands,
growing surprises in the soil.
When you are a gardener,
you know the meaning of time.
You weed, you pick,
you water, you wait,
and hope, again, that all will be fine.
When you are a gardener,
you know right now isn’t it.
But to work you must,
because in goodness you trust,
others will have shade under which to sit.
You’ve got to do your own growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was.
- Irish Proverb -
Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.
- Helen Keller -
Hardening
through time,
creating layers of safety.
Primordial in its need
to protect.
Maintaining a division
of power
all the while,
reaching out,
while becoming ready to
spread farther.
Kincaid Park sand dunes
Anchorage, Alaska
Cook Inlet
Reverberations…
of a reechoed sound
long hanging in the air
or in the ground.
Seeds planted,
leaving a lasting round
of
Reverberations
sources not to be found.
Yet,
Never leaving, going nowhere
the
Reverberations,
continue to surround
Come down to the sound
to the smallest degree
Come down
and feel the
Reverberations with me.
If you chose to hide
them now,
Remember and know
Reverberations
never leave,
They
take on the life of a lie,
and continue
to grow.
Anchorage Memorial Park Cemetery
Anchorage, Alaska
Friday, July 15th, 2011
Who you?
I guess it’s a few,
I don’t know you,
I don’t find you,
I only see what you do.
Who you?
does anyone really have
a clue?
I don’t hear you,
I don’t feel you,
I only remember what you do.
Who you?
when did you choose?
A what moment did you decide
what path to ride
alone, or with
two?
What lesson do I have to learn?
None.
Lessons learned from books and turns
bringing to the thought
Of
constant punishment of Not
Learning lessons?
None,
better to say
What Gift did this experience give me,
since I am very tired of
going to school.
They fight like three cats
in a trash can…
Slap on the lid, to drown
out the noise.
They fight like three cats
in a trash can…
Clawing and shrieking
up the sides
creating a harmony
of catastrophic rides.
They fight like three cats
in a trash can…
lying wait for another’s
moment to gain.
They fight like three cats
in a trash can…
Jumping fast
not missing a chance
to inflict more unsuspecting pain.
They fight like three cats
in a trash can…
Keeping all hidden, a worldly
demeanor suffice.
And I’m sure I’ll be enjoying
my eternal rest and long sleep
before they ever decide
to
play nice.
April seventh, two thousand and nine.
created some chaos
for which it don’t rhyme.
I tried to figure a dinner at best
Ham and beans
Eggs and Sausage
if they don’t like it, then save it for the rest.
April seventh, two thousand and nine.
Lights, cameras and action
Silence on the set at this time.
Don’t speak it out loud,
for heaven’s sake don’t write it down.
If you know it,
Just show it.
Shut the door, slam it loud.
April seventh, two thousand and nine.
Peeking around the corner,
That vote was really mine.
One vote for Anna.
One vote for Ben.
and
Everything went KABOOM !
Just lettin’ you see,
We really did know about your sin.
