The Cycle
     This is my first attempt at an electronic concrete poem. Please start reading at the bottom.


                                                             
                                          THEN

                                Fewer tests    We  

                            More creation   begin                                                    

                          Best Practice             and                                            

                       Outcomes                        learn            

                    Research                                  the                                          

                 Linking                                         tune                                              

              Fusing                                                   for

           Great Ideas                                               how                                      

         Thinking                                                            to                                   

       Planning                                                         remain                                

   Summer mode                                            Sane 'til June

 (Start Here)                                                        (End Here)

Sally

Aphrodite's Cafe

A  few years ago we drove by an organic pie shop that looked magical.

Poised on the corner of Dunbar and 4th, it calls to passers by.

Happy staff in a venue anointed with original art.

Realizing the potential, my daughter decided to make it a part of her birthday ritual.

On the celebratory day, we venture to frolic at the beach.

Dinner consists of sandwiches and all of the lovely fixings.

Instead of birthday cake, we head over to Aphrodite's for pie.

Try their apple, cherry, peach, raspberry-rhubarb or pumpkin...

Every option is delicious beyond belief.
'
Succulent, juicy, mouthwatering organic pie.  

Sally

It Feels Like Fall

Everyone is home
Safe and sound, telling stories
Recounting their fun

Sally

So Is It OK To Say Pussy Now?

I was about 10
when I got my
first cat.
She sat in the
back seat with me,
and licked my hands
all the way home.
When I decided to call her
Lickinpuss,
my ESL parents
smiled and nodded,
but my older brother
laughed his head off.
He insisted that
it wouldn't be right.
It was years until I understood
why he thought it was so funny.

When we adopted
Izzy,
one of my children
got into the habit
of calling her
Little Pussy.
I clarified right away.
I explained the
sexual innuendo,
and although horrified,
the child understood the
faux pas
of it's use.

In recent weeks,
I have tried
to speak out
against the
injustice imposed
on the punk band,
Pussy Riot.
In light of previous
conversations,
one of my children
came to me
asking why it was
OK
to keep saying
Pussy Riot,
on the news,
in the papers?
I had the
gift
of explaining
the power
in a name.

Our names
represent us,
identify us.
They tell the
story of our
past,
the context of our
present,
and our impact
on the
future.
Some names are
unusual and
difficult to pronounce,
but it is our job
to respect them.
To treat a name
like the person
it modifies.

I knew a man
once,
named
Harry Dong.
No Lie!
Great guy!
Though we all
had to work
hard
not to giggle.
He could have
changed his name,
to something more
inconspicuous,
but it would not
have changed
his essence.
And I admired his
determination
to keep his
birth name,
forcing us
to get over it.
He deserved our
understanding, and
our respect.
So does
Pussy Riot.
"...That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet." (William Shakespeare)

The child nodded,
in understanding,
and walked away
muttering,
"I swear she has a Shakespeare quote
for everything!"

Sally

You Did It...First Time

You got a job son
I'm so proud of you Desmond
Now you're on your way

Sally

The Telephone Conversation 

Ring, ring.

“Penelope’s Party Emporium. How may I help you?”

“Oh Hello. I am calling to arrange a Princess Party for a four year old.”

“Of course. No problem. What is your daughter’s name?”

“It’s for my son. His name is Conner.”

“You did say a Princess Party right?”

“Yes I did.”

“I don’t think we do the Princess Party for boys. We offer the Dinosaur Party, the Super Hero Party and the Jungle Safari themes for boys.”

“He has his heart set on a Princess Party. I’m not sure why it makes a difference to you. I pay the bill at the end regardless of the theme.”

“It’s more that we don’t want to set a precedence for that kind of behaviour. We have chosen our themes based on what most kids like. We're not here to rock the boat and make anyone feel uncomfortable.”

“For your information, the only one uncomfortable with this is YOU, and my kid is not 'most' kids. He is unique and beautiful, and deserves to choose his own party theme, whether it fits your standards or not. My son loves Princesses. He loves pink, and he'd rather play with dolls than play sports. If by ‘that kind of behaviour’ you are suggesting that it's gay, then I need to remind you that he is only four years old. Could it not just be that he likes pink? With over seven billion people in the world all wanting different things, it seems insane to limit our choices to gender stereotypes. And if it turns out that he is gay, I have every intension of celebrating and cherishing every aspect of who he is. So screw you and your narrow minded perspective on the world!”

Click.

Dial tone.

Sigh.

Everything I wish I had said to that bag on the phone.

Sally

FREE PUSSY RIOT
      I am re-posting this poem for the last time today, in support of the Russian Punk Band that was imprisoned for singing out against their government. Please share this information, and join forces against this kind of inhumanity!

Refuse to Stay Quiet!

“…never yielded to conformity

     But stood like kings

In a chariot that’s riding on

     A record wheel.” (The Cat Empire)

I was fueled and perturbed

when I heard the news,

about a band of rebel ladies

who were speaking the truth.

Have we not learned our lesson

about freedom of speech?

Have we not been told by the greatest souls

who have taken time to teach.

So many brilliant people

have learnt it all before.

Let the universe know we’ve evolved,

we’ve opened a new door.

Refuse to stay quiet.

Free Pussy Riot.

Refuse to stay quiet.

Free Pussy Riot.

Listen to the great ones,

and remember every lesson.

No one should be in jail,

for having an opinion.

Refuse to stay quiet.

Free Pussy Riot.

Refuse to stay quiet.

Free Pussy Riot.

We’ve known for hundreds of years

that we’re made of the same blood.

We all have traditions, thoughts and beliefs,

and a right to our freedom.

“One tribe ya’ll

We are one people.” (The Black Eyed Peas)

“If you prick us, do we not bleed?

if you tickle us, do we not laugh?

if you poison us, do we not die?

and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?” (William Shakespeare)

"Music is a universal language for all people” (Above The Law)

“And who decides what’s right to hear? You?

I want the right to speak,

I want the right to walk where I wanna,

yell I’m gonna.”(Ice T)

“…what they’re really trying to do is shut off our access to

information

itself.” (Jello Biafra)

“Imagine life without a choice at all

Given no hope without a voice at all.” (Jurassic 5)

Refuse to stay quiet.

Free Pussy Riot.

Refuse to stay quiet.

Free Pussy Riot.

A group of musical ladies

singing out against the government.

Charged and sentenced as hooligans,

leaves the world in awed wonderment.

“…and some of us are very hungry now to hear what it is you’ve done that was so wrong. 

…A singer must die for the lie in his voice,

And I thank you, I thank you for doing your duty,

You keepers of truth,

you guardians of beauty.” (Leonard Cohen)

“We gotta make a change…

Let’s change the way we eat, let’s change the way we live

And let’s change the way we treat each other.” (Tupac Shakur)

“If you wanna make the world a better place

Take a look at yourself and then make a change.” (Michael Jackson)

Refuse to stay quiet.

Free Pussy Riot.

Refuse to stay quiet.

Free Pussy Riot.

Let’s stand behind these woman,

let’s help them in their strife.

Let’s speak out against injustice,

as they pay with years of life.

“Stand up, all victims of oppression

For the tyrants fear your might.” (Billy Bragg)

 “Emancipate yourself from mental slavery

None but ourselves can free our minds.” (Bob Marley)

“Ain’t no fascists gonna stop me, no Nazis gonna keep me,

From marching down freedom’s road.” (Ziggy Marley)

“So don’t be afraid to let them show

Your true colors.” (Cyndi Lauper)

“I hope some day you’ll join us

And the world will live as one.” (John Lennon)

“That will be the day when all of God’s children

will be able to sing with a new meaning…” (Dr. Martin Luther King Junior)

Refuse to stay quiet.

Free Pussy Riot.

Refuse to stay quiet.

Free Pussy Riot.

Listen to the great ones,

and remember every lesson.

No one should be in jail,

for having an opinion.

Refuse to stay quiet.

Free Pussy Riot.

Refuse to stay quiet.

Free Pussy Riot.

Sally