Monday, October 10, 2011

Joining the Workforce

Going to grad school
and teaching full-time
and trying to make friends

is a little like
learning to juggle plates
while breathing fire
if you had one arm
and were twisted in a circle

so that every time you
took a breath,
you burned your feet.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

What I Do Instead

When I sit across from you I focus on the names of state capitals

Since I don't know the names of state capitals I transition to filling
my mouth with pumpkin bread and almond pastry and blueberry danish,
ensuring that instead of a retort I concentrate on the number of times
to chew my food for perfect bolus digestion.

I find myself empathizing and drawing inspiration from a bird
outside our window that just happened to smash against the glass
and then laid in the grass looking stunned and confused.
In fifteen minutes it flew away, and I draw hope from that.

These are all probably not good signs.