In The Future Tense

Tell me about the planet
in words without their cages
straight up and down
set free at last
where curve is curve
and land is temporary.
Tell me your story
paint it with the past
I'll catch the drippings
borrow the cave of leaves
call it my personal library
historic thoughts small boats
moored in the lagoon.

On

It was a path they remembered by heart
the time the horse dragged him more experienced men
stopping to help how some were tall and some were going
to be short emblems and crests were unfamiliar
but nobody asked what they meant until the duchess
inquired. This was humbling how beautiful
they were looking at their faces one could see
the others as in a crystal fleeting just turning to go.

First Week

It is exactly the same out there
he would say it with another accent
now there is a ceiling he did not see
flat land rich where the river once meandered
eccentric costumes of the visitors the trees
only a naked person can see past temperature
genius of the periodic table running the show.

Machines Of Boredom

He probably did not want to return but followed
all arrows pointing back to his place of habitation
strange how it didn't look so familiar after all
who was this person with tubes dangling lines
tape clips wasn't what he remembered or was it
usual now plastic metal liquids constant warmth
the place he stepped into out of was he deciding
still it was settled he had been remote too young
other wars not to die of boredom while alive
don't get mad what is left almost gone to a place
where they speak mathematically or not at all.

Messenger

The nets are useful
they keep everything in
plus you can see through
to what you got strong
but they have a limit 
candles and the foggy day
nearly California before
vinyasa flow remember 
samovars on Alaska Airlines
adding hot water to the dregs

Open

That animal
along the fence
world gone
wandering fog
mind on him
getting better
pears seize
they lean curl
past the gate
thought it shut

To Get It 24 Hours

We drove past my old grudge
the vacated House of Pancakes
I was supposed to give up all my tips
my trainer waitress saw my hand
pocket jingling with quarters
master's degree made worthless
fired by the ex-con managers
you can't keep it you can't
con a con they laughed
gave me another head-to-toe
I believed them to be sisters 
then on to Sherm's Thunderbird
where Roseburg shops organic and regular
entrance crowded gigantic dream catchers
American eagles red white and blue
right before the produce section.
 

Leaving Friday's Fights Behind

Five scraps at lunch before the lockdown bell
everything pointed to violence last Friday
even two small Freshmen friends this was
after we studied Red Jacket's speech
two movies later Bird Man of Alcatraz
tried American in Paris but dumped it
then settled on The Jackie Robinson Story
but of course had nothing to do with it neither
in class long enough to read the whole title.

Pacific here and now elusive past and future real
what must be the prescription for helping Onkel Hans
after his fall from the ladder last minute we were at
the Metropol meanwhile he was grafting trees
am Bodensee all ribs broken punctured kidney
lung head swelling this hasn't been the first time
flashes of his sweater his Tettnang voice ache
nobody else tending to the apples their trees.

Up Close

mirages false suns diamonds
this means vision illusion

is it real? a real interpretation
real as anything else

optimistic oracle space cadet
unusual wheel

slog away crushing gravel
washing rinsing to find

Remnant of Another Landscape

Flat fog new lamb swale
wood down two rows
where light falls apart
cold piled high 
after the war no side
but outside or inside out

straight shot all the way
to town Murphy's Lumber
fumes white as snow.

Why she wants to walk up here
to the Ponderosa hungry for a view
answer:  smell of Bavaria mooing
holy greeting cards
leather pants craggy peaks
where small wooden birds
keep chocolate time
minutes seconds losers craving more

Winter Thunder

Night breaks up
codependent moon
above all what focus
this light dark to light
birds waiting in the wet
song running through dreams
closed moment open flowers.

Halcyon Library Days

On the stone steps crouching
dreams matching thoughts
about who I was what I could do
my theories just forming my mood
in between lightning just the way
it was pleasantly surprising
my hair piled way on top my slim
self amongst the thick volumes
decorated celebrated outer space.

Broiled Sherbet

That was my shirt
my pants suit hat burger
focus America
there has been some interest
bulletin board two dollar floats
against Kohala try to wear black
purple level respiratory concerns
exit and escort to the assigned location

too much Pepsi did him in
was that a joke not able to get up
from the couch

Fizzy Lemon Swim

Far away icy lakes turn
the river weaves past his tower

pain to tell of war near no matter
how many laps Inge said forty-five
years away married small candles
with little holders I was invited go
every other year April is when
someone waits for me

Landscape of the Fuzzy Moon

Black sheep messy hoof prints

obscured by a fat snow cloud

their grey trail disappears

below heavy German branches

nobody wanted to leave

once it got too dark

where nothing fit

That's what happened

after the old place

sleeping

nearly in the new

St. Nico

Germany drunk
weather watched
by millions
loved
by few

large grains
all slow and silent
I felt
most at home
in the clear-cut
I found ten minutes

away

Petition

Hi,

Pahoa High & Intermediate School has not had a School Librarian for the past five years and could benefit from services that most Hawaii public school students enjoy.

Students begin post-secondary experiences already at a great disadvantage: they don't know how to use a library.

As educators, we are demanding equity for all Pahoa area students that they may have universal access to educational resources

Susan Kay Anderson, Classroom Teacher, Pahoa High & Intermediate
Virginia Brautigan Aste, Substitute Teacher, Pahoa, Hawaii


That's why I created a petition to Chief State School Officer Kathryn Matayoshi, Superintendent of Education, Brian Taniguchi, Senate Higher Education Committee, Jill Tokuda, Senate Education Committee, Isaac Choy, House Higher Education Committee, Roy Takumi, House Education Committee, David Lassner, President, University of Hawaii System, J.N. Musto, Executive Director, University of Hawaii Professional Assembly, Alan Oshima, Executive Vice President, Corporate and Commuity Advancement Hawaii Electric Industries, Sen. Russel Ruderman (HI-2), and Governor Neil Abercrombie, which says:

"Introduce IMMEDIATE legislation to fund and staff a school library."

Will you sign my petition? Click here to add your name:

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/senator-russel-ruderman?source=c.fwd&r_by=4621716


Thanks!

Place Unfamiliar

It was a corner bent in a rounded way.
All the times were sad there yet
how did it belong to me? Only
putting it off could fold something
more towards the middle. I guess
the reason for torture is obvious
something to feel alive about
could be view differently
more life suggestion more life.

In Which Death Was Transparent

She loved the island
just her type of isolation
it had a bit of this lots of that
days to reach this country planet
this future past cleared away
the family went on a trip once
all the way up there how great
even though it was camping it felt
luxurious exotic as if others served.

SLO

Student Learning Outcomes
due January seventh
you need to have two
to work on but will choose
one to be your real one
with all the data you'll gather
plus the green sheet rate
Friday's Meth Awareness
Assembly one to five
five being highest.

Muse

Night walk Rim Trail
back from Jagger Museum
worth every second of torture
at school low alpine brush
those berries edible
saved for geese saved for
orange glow about the same
size how to return 
if only she 
I just saw her shift .

Confessions of a Bad Teacher

Book by Mr. John Owens
all too true war report
target:  teachers of poor
America
energetic fight
instructions?
read?
confess?

I Teach At Walmart

In my mind the threat
maximum
in my "unsatisfactory"
ratings any which way
you slice it
shut up
about the job.

Students will take their Common Summative Assessment, "Migration" and also summarize the notes they took on their Icon Map graphic organizers, therefore producing two summaries and challenge questions having to do with elements of persuasion in multiple texts

Students will determine the main ideas or events.

Students will not only answer the prompt questions but will also consider what we have been studying about rhetorical questioning and its use in persuasive writing and oratory texts such as Patrick Henry's "Speech in the Virginia Convention."

3C: Engaging Students in Learning:  Unsatisfactory

3B: Using Questioning / Prompts and Discussion:  Unsatisfactory 

2B: Establishing a Culture for Learning:  Unsatisfactory 



http://www.civilbeat.com/voices/2012/11/27/17711-i-teach-at-walmart/

.

Was Where

That was where I saw you
standing on the edge
above the gulch grand
shaking a rattle all dressed up
at first I thought pine
then not at all in a small space
up against the sky the brush
so dense so potent.

Scrump

Clump bouquet
sunk grows
imaginary
bright
memorizing
the old
shorelines.