Past Diversity [Notes, Disclaimers, Questions.] August 19, 2007

I’ve been fighting with “Past Diversity” for several weeks now.  (At times, I think said fight is to no avail.  At other times, I’m more optimistic.  It’s all a matter of perspective, I suppose.)  I started this poem in response to learning that a classmate of mine from grade/ middle/ and high school, who I [...]

Paradox [Notes, Disclaimers, Questions.] August 19, 2007

I came across “Paradox” browsing journal entries circa 2003.  Since I’m always shocked to discover a poem I still like years after its inception and I’m always excited to find one of the more blatantly positive poems, I decided to post it here.  When I originally wrote “Paradox” it served as a reminder for me [...]

Fare (v.2). August 19, 2007

Read an earlier draft of Fare. 
On the bus today, a man who
didn’t have your smile
didn’t struggle to suppress another wave
of nausea. A man whose brow bore
no resemblance to the one, which night
after night of quiet stroking has helped
me memorize, didn’t clench his eyes closed,
bite back tears. Neither did I. Neither
did the man pressed next to me. I [...]

Paradox (v.1). August 18, 2007

I am not a statistic
I’m not decidedly dystopian
or obviously optimistic
I invite investigation
introspection, mystery, change.
I am not a static being
I rearrange. 
& at any moment I am
innocent, intimidating
fierce in my courage
and curiously captivating.
I entertain new territory
dare my definition to stay still
I balance bravery with boundaries
and throw myself off center
solely for the thrill.
and yes, I’ve come so far
in a [...]

Past Diversity (v.1). August 18, 2007

Only soldiers tell you when they die,
have the decency to dispatch
someone to show up on your doorstep,
have the arrogance to tell you how to grieve.
To hand you their thick, woolen beliefs
stiff and strangely suffocating. Or
order your tears into formation,
no variation, do as you are told.
They’d have my grief
as customary and uncustomized
as the flag or the [...]

Fare [Notes/ Disclaimers/ Questions.] August 5, 2007

Notes/ Disclaimers:  “Fare” is actually one of those poems that decided it didn’t care what I was intending to write about.  I began with the experience of seeing a certain person everywhere, despite the fact that it was never them, i.e. you were a man who didn’t have your smile, you were a girl with [...]

Anything I Can Do (v.1). August 4, 2007

I shipped quick smiles in your direction.
I avoided your wide eyes. I always
made a point of leaving before you could
stop by. I gave you Kleenex, then pretended
I couldn’t hear you cry.
when I saw you floundering, I grinned,
“this kid sure can keep herself afloat.”
I praised the way you stayed so calm, with
threats like blades against your [...]

Fare (v.1). August 4, 2007

On the bus today, a man who
didn’t have your smile
didn’t struggle to suppress another wave
of nausea. A girl whose brow bore
no resemblance to the one, which night
after night of quiet stroking has helped
me memorize, didn’t clench her eyes closed,
bite back tears. Neither did I. Neither
did the woman next to me. I saw she
had muscles seemingly [...]