Wednesday, October 31, 2012

End of October Poetry

The moon dips out of the water.
Moon.  Early riser. Windy moon.
Warm moon.  Breezy air.  A song
presses together.  Over the waves.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Teacher Duties Summarized

The sand, the fog, the moths
specific detail edge to edge.
I didn't know dark was so lightless.
Except the moth
furry pink
orange like the cat
on Tom Clark's blog
entrancing, except the antennae
reminding one of outer space
robots, mechanical duty.
Short, fluttery lifespan
about what, ten minutes or so?
About the time it takes
to introduce a lesson,
an anecdote.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Haunted Library

I always told myself I would become a teacher if all else failed.  It did.  It was a feeling of dreaded expectation, a last chance.  I am often asked how long I plan on staying in Hawaii, as if I just arrived yesterday. Today, I answered that I have been here ten years but it has really been twenty.  Archaeologist does not count toward teaching years but it does towards detective years.  One year of sweaty shovel-trowel-broom-screen-notes-mapping-lab labor equals about ten in detective years. 

My too many questions, too many loud opinions, too much, just too much.  Hawaii Teacher has been a good disguise for my real work as detective.  I can pretend to be filling out endless data sheets, observing my peers, being observed, and studying the "standards";  all the while eating countless bags of Cheetos, and still go undetected.  Only I detect in myself an unhappiness when the kids have left the room.  Have I prepared them for college?  It would be nice if they read a book on their own once in awhile or maybe peeked at the Discovery Channel.  It will never happen.  I walk around with my pretty Hawaii State Public Library System bag I bought for a cool fifty cents.  Maybe it will brainwash the students into getting their own cards someday (the Hilo library stays open on Saturdays) and maybe they'll venture into one.  They are not allowed in the one on campus during school hours at our school.  Go figure.  Go figure where all the Race to the Top money has gone.  Spent.  Forgotten.  Plus, they eliminated the school librarian (half-time position) four years ago.

Friday, October 5, 2012

True Poetry Teacher, Mr. Tom Clark

Funny about the word, rue.  It is so small.
Just the t is missing to make it true.

It sounds like a deer.  That is roe.
Diminutive for such a large feeling.
Not a cruel catalog.

The poet teaches more
than he probably realizes.
This is due
to coincidence
and the limits of language
but still.  Uncanny
rule with words.


Thursday, October 4, 2012

Lonely Florentine Omelette

Omelette

Well, I waited again for the Bohemian to meet me at the Black Rock Cafe.  She did not show the second time this week.  I am disappointed and learned that life is mainly disappointing in fact if not in theory.  I finally ordered the omelette.  It was very hot and I shook a lot of Tabasco on it like a man would.  The students remind me that this is a bar, after all, Miss.  This is at least half a bar.  I couldn't tell what was happening on the T.V.  It looked like Fox. 

I want to say that the coffee was really hot.  They forgot ketchup.  It tasted good.

Monday, October 1, 2012

Beautiful Mr. Franz Kafka

He sat in a chair, over there.  He was the explorer of inner empires.  A Dadaist by nature and in practice.  I wish he could exist in the modern times we have now and post a comment on Tom Clark's blog.  I'm afraid with his dastardly good looks he would be a musician and therefore lost anyway to history but after another fashion.