Series of Love: In Love All Over Your Body

I think this poem speaks for itself.

In love all over your body

u seduce me w/out even knowin that you're doing it
dreams of late nite pillow talk
replace the reality of you bein gone
i walk with a glow
hoping my mind doesn't blow
filled w/ beautiful
cuz in my smile it shows
you have captured my being
placed it gently against your chest to be seen
nursing the time it takes to make it
willing to take it further
if we speak it

we cherish it
this newfoundland
took the plan and
made it so much better
took simplicity as gold
bold enough to put heart on paper
strong enough to take this hollowed out shell
& fill it with magic

thinking of you often
in your eyes im lost
not wanting the maze to end
secretly ive loved you
but giving myself the chance to be your
best friend
i write lyrics on you
take u to open mics
delight in the applause
you are my masterpiece

you inhale &
i breath out blessings
not stressin over what it aint
cuz what of it is

don't change
keep me halfcrazy
your hands my heartbeat
i live to be a part of your life
shock me everyday with surprises &
gentle tears fall down my eyes &
onto your face
my place is only right...by you
turning sweat from
love making into diamonds
you wear them on your ears
fears lessen
& new lessons
are strapped on my feet
walking on jazz beats

we lived in winter
the blues left in spring
summer rain cleansed us both
& fall into each other's skin

Why I Teach

For those of you who know I wrote a poem called Why I Teach. But today those words were outdone by a true story. My first year in Woodbridge I had the pleasure of meeting Jonathan. Ooh he was unique in every way! We battled. He cursed me out. There was even one time I took off my earrings, my heels, and chased him down the hall. Why? I simply asked him to sit down and was told in very colorful language what he wasn't going to do. Well, humph, I knew he bumped his head and I showed him what crazy looked like. Laughing, huh. Well, I tell you, having him not one but two years was INTERESTING. He eventually became my project child and then my adopted son. I did everything in my power to keep him together: i tutored him, made sure he showed at work, yes I took it beyond the classroom, beyond the teaching hours and made it personal. Well, you can't watch everyone all the time and that one time I didn't, he got into a fight and was expelled. I spent all this time thinking what in the world did I do wrong!? I lead him like I'd do NaShawn, but you know what they say. You can lead a horse to water...
Today Jonathan showed up. Came into my room, looked me in my eyes and told me I was his favorite teacher. Thanked me for everything I did for him and gave me a hug. He told me that he's working on his GED and thinking about enlisting in the service. I was shocked. I was almost moved to tears. This student, made it his mission to find me and tell this after TWO years. This child had it together. The eye contact alone, was amazing. (For those of you with military background or who know of those in service) Yes, he stood at attention and even said "Thank you for not giving up on me". I was humbled.
In that moment it was confirmed that I was going to continue to lead them there. Take them by the hand and let them know they are bigger, better, and smarter than what is before them. They may not drink when its time, but when they do its that much better because they are doing it out of intrinsic motivation and not for anyone else.

It's hard work to teach heart, but it can be taught.

Series of Love: It Wasn't Exactly Love

Wow. I'm at it again. So what do you do when you're not really "into" someone but out of usefulness of the person you deal? I believe there are some out there in this position where 16 words doesn't fit the picture. When the passion leaves or was never there and the rest of time is spent coping. What do you say to those people who want to run and do it constantly into a wall? How hard do you hold onto someone when even with a loose grip, they wouldn't go anyway? Did love leave or was it just a need to have someone rather than no one at all?

It Wasn't Exactly Love

...when I called and said you got me
we tapped around expressing ourselves
slowly measuring with broken rulers
if this could be
i could deal with you
pretend the dinners meant something
while my stomach turned at the thought
of you touching me later
we jumped the broom & used it
to clean up too many
nights of sleeping apart
forgetful to what it truly takes to
make it work
we got use to each other
we talked when arguing
put make up sex
on the mantle
that energy passed through us
& we thought it was love
i didn't say for better
because there was never going to be
we shared a space
fooled the world
& had our own personal hell
was this all to offer
we had nothing left
filled our lives with schedules &
to do lists
everything needed to be planned
sex on Wed worked for us
more time was spent making up
the we lost each other
we were just too different
short answers needed but only
mulitple choice existed
2 answers didn't apply &
left us with A or B
we just quit and never answered the question
irreconcilable differences
there wasn't a union
we just had no place else to go

(to be continued)