I’ve seen students copy all kinds of stuff from one another, sometimes going as far as copying down word for word pages upon pages of a buddy’s journal responses, the act of copying all that text more work than actually doing the work, only with the added “benefit” of not learning anything. But I’ve never seenContinue reading “#305: The Offending Journal”
Tag Archives: NaPoWriMo
#304: Willy and Biff Loman Cross Paths with Talking Heads
(with gratitude to David Byrne and Arthur Miller) What have they asked of themselves? The tiniest slice of the pie belongs to that beautiful house, which mostly, they recognize because it’s a thing they can see and a 25 year mortgage they can feel, every month for 25 years. Am I wrong? They have difficulty with this–Continue reading “#304: Willy and Biff Loman Cross Paths with Talking Heads”
#303: The American English Teacher Strategizes for Kids Who Don’t Read
He assigns the pages and when class convenes he understands in short order that only a few kids have bothered to do the reading. The age old dilemma of the high school English teacher: what can be done if kids won’t read, not can’t, but won’t or don’t? Reading everything in class, either out loud or in silence willContinue reading “#303: The American English Teacher Strategizes for Kids Who Don’t Read”
#302: Uncle Meaney
My Uncle Meaney had a long white scar over his midsection, and when he was out boating on family vacations, crabbing, oystering, deep sea fishing, he’d go shirtless, and there was that scar as clear as the writing in the sky. I must have asked him, how’d you get the scar? I was attacked byContinue reading “#302: Uncle Meaney”
#301: In Desperation, the Poet Turns to Facebook Friends for Suggestions
Note: the topic suggestions for the poem appear in boldface. Suppose he is fresh out of ideas, so he turns to facebook for suggestions from friends, near and far, high and low. He waits. It’s like fishing. He waits for a little while. Finally, he gets a bite: the weather. The poet writes: It’s beenContinue reading “#301: In Desperation, the Poet Turns to Facebook Friends for Suggestions”
#300: The American English Teacher Gets His Courage Shit Together
“This shit works” –heard in conversation with Rick, and then later with Paul or Jeff, one or both of whom attributed it to Parker Palmer, perhaps apocryphally. 20 years ago I thought to myself there’s no way I can do this for another 20 years. I would need the strength of a half dozen supermen,Continue reading “#300: The American English Teacher Gets His Courage Shit Together”
#299: In a Dream, a Hammer Crushed a Teacup
In a dream, a Hammer crushed a Teacup, Seagulls flew overhead, one, wearing a Ballet Slipper, having lost its mate to a Shark. I sit at a Wobbly Table, recently crowned a third time by my Dentist, singing the Rowboat song. My therapist, who specializes in dream interpretation, is sad. He has no idea what it means. InContinue reading “#299: In a Dream, a Hammer Crushed a Teacup”
#298: Upended Pie Song
Bye bye miss American key lime pie. I drove the Chevy to the estuary, but the estuary was a sound. Those good old boys were drinking thistles and brine, singing, would you like some cheese with your wine, which they sang again for good measure. Did you write that book with gloves? And do you haveContinue reading “#298: Upended Pie Song”
#297: Front Yard Haibun
Mid April, that Japanese maple explodes first with leaves and the giant oak trees follow its little footsteps a few weeks later. It all happens at once. Most years no one sees it. One day there are no leaves. Next day a million leaves. The grass greens. There’s a hammock sometimes to nap in andContinue reading “#297: Front Yard Haibun”
#296: The 11th Poem of April
was difficult to write. I didn’t like today’s suggestion. I thought about witch hunts, fist fights between teenagers, and spring time rain. I thought about my dogs and how angry I was at the one for waking me up at 2 in the morning and at the other because she took a dump on myContinue reading “#296: The 11th Poem of April”
michael jarmer 