Poetry – Page 53 – michael jarmer

#185: The American English Teacher Crosses Off All The Items From His To-Do List

He does it. He crosses off all the items from his to-do list. Many of the things he crosses off were things he actually did, others, not so much. But he wants them off the list so he crosses them out. Some of those unfinished-crossed-off items will end up on other to-do lists. Some othersContinue reading “#185: The American English Teacher Crosses Off All The Items From His To-Do List”

#184: The American English Teacher Makes A To-Do List

The number and the analogy may have been different, but I swear I said to at least two of my colleagues today, “Do you ever feel like a web browser with 2,879 tabs open?” And both of these colleagues said the same thing: “All. The. Time.” If I could make a catalogue of allContinue reading “#184: The American English Teacher Makes A To-Do List”

#183: Brain Blimp

Brain Blimp I have painted a painting of you, a portrait, so to speak. I have painted your brain, or rather I have made a painting of your brain. It’s on the wing, so to speak. I’ve portrayed it not as bird but as blimp, powered by rocket box adorned with an eyeball andContinue reading “#183: Brain Blimp”

#182: Child’s Play

My boy has taken to video recording his game play and adding commentary over the top. He’s seen this on you tube. Some of his heroes are dudes who video- tape themselves playing video games, who have become celebrities of sorts; thousands of viewers can’t get enough of dudes playing video games filming them- selves playing video games.Continue reading “#182: Child’s Play”

#181: I Am From Jarmers

On the very first days with my sophomores in the new school year, I asked them to write some goals for themselves, things they wanted to learn or accomplish in the new year in English Language Arts. I gave them the spiel that often goals are stupid things because we allow them to slip awayContinue reading “#181: I Am From Jarmers”

#180: Another “Workable” Solution

It turns out that the brave colleague who volunteered to teach five preparations in order to relieve another colleague of a student load of 217 did not, after all, have to take on five preparations. Instead, two of her small classes were swapped straight across with two of the other teacher’s giant classes. These movesContinue reading “#180: Another “Workable” Solution”

#179: A “Workable” Solution

Today the English Department got together to figure out how to relieve a colleague of a student load of 217. That’s all I really have to say. The fact alone is enough. One of our colleagues was assigned 217 students. The obvious solution, hiring another teacher, is apparently out of the question. A school is given soContinue reading “#179: A “Workable” Solution”

A Single Dispatch from Writer’s Camp 2015

It’s quiet on campus. Everyone has gone home. It’s just me and Mark, the dorm all to ourselves. He’s here still because he can’t travel on the Sabbath. I’m here to simply take a few deep breaths, to take advantage of some solitude before heading home. I went down to the cafeteria tonight for dinner,Continue reading “A Single Dispatch from Writer’s Camp 2015”

#177: Trigger Warning

Trigger Warning: The following poem may contain upsetting material. The poet wants to warn you about it in advance so you can decide whether or not to proceed, knowing full well that you might be upset by the poem’s contents. It has become the convention of late for writers, for readers, for teachers of writingContinue reading “#177: Trigger Warning”