Out of all that
is forced
on you--

being in here was
a choice
you made.

And yet I have
never witnessed
such resistance

to the passion demanded
of those
in here.

To you this was
a cop-out
easy A

a free ticket to
less homework
less brainwork.

So I'm shackled with
less love
less open-heartedness

and notebooks full of
excuses and
tepid attempts.

You didn't have to
be here--
choose this.

So why did you?

Ode to mis pies

Daily you face abuses.

I force you to carry heavy burdens,

expect guidance down the right path.

Your looks have suffered

due to daily runs from

guilt—

the weight of shame.

I have left you cold,

unsheltered, ignored.

You go unthanked.

Yet still you graciously continue to

plod along,

a constant companion—

enabling me to move

freely,

providing support, keeping me

centered—

letting me stand up

for myself.

Without you, I could not

explore or balance—

falling down

at the slightest breath,

living life

on

my

knees.

The beginning of the Apocalypse: Fox News

What I learned from watching Fox News today:

1.  Teachers are greedy bastards.  Did you know that, in some areas, they make up to $60,000 a year?  And get health benefits?  All this AND they get summers off too!  I mean, these jack-asses are ruining our country!  Let's fire all of them and/or take them down a peg or two. 

2.  Wall Street bankers, unlike teachers, have created more jobs in this country.  (On a personal heartfelt note: Thank you Wall Street.  I have noticed that there are many more people working--for the unemployment/welfare office to fill out all the paperwork for the people whose lives were ruined by your economic disaster.)

3.  Obama is a Muslim.

4.  All Muslims want to kill Americans.

5.  Most teachers are Muslims, obviously, because they are ruining America.

6.  Americans are all peace-loving Christians. (Except for the Westborough Church, whose members take picket signs to the funerals of soldiers that say "Thank God for dead soldiers."  Ah, God's work).

7.  Did you know all teachers leave 5 minutes after school gets out?  I mean, we as a society are paying for these people to go home and watch soap operas!  Let's fire all of them and/or take them down a peg or two.

8.  Obama is a Muslim. 

9.  We need to pay Wall Street bank CEOs MORE money (and not put a $500,000 cap on their salary), in order to increase interest in talented people in taking over those positions.  (Another personal heartfelt note: Thank you Fox News, for letting us know where all our country's money should be spent--less on the greedy bastard "teachers" and more on the Wall Street CEOs who need to make more than $500,000 in order to do their job correctly).

10.  $250,000 a year salary is NOT rich.  I mean, if you have kids in college and a mortgage to pay, this amount of money actually puts you at poverty level.  (However, remember, $60,000 DOES make you rich (and greedy) if you're a teacher).

Thanks for the honest integrity and consistency Fox News!  I love staying well-informed!

Inspired by Cari

Top 10 Things the Meaner Side of Me Desperately Wants to Say to You:

1. You are a complete f-ing idiot for smoking so much pot.  No, really, you're an idiot.  No, really, there are no positives.  Good luck with that.
2. Please, keep texting.  I'm sure this gossip shit is way more important than your future.
3. You are a complete f-ing idiot for using drugs.  Enlightenment?  Try failed bodily functions and a lifetime of misery.  Look at every artist who used in order to help "see beyond."  Not one of them happy or moral.  That's only found in sobriety. 
4. You are not going to be a professional NBA/MLB/rapper.  
5. You look like a prostitute.  Jesus.  Be more than a pair of boobs.
6. You're tired?  Huh.  Why don't you go to bed before f-ing 3 am then?  
7. You hate drama?  Stop being a bitch.
8. You are a complete f-ing idiot for getting wasted every weekend. You are boring for never coming up with a more interesting way to spend your time.  And no one thinks you're as funny as you do.
9. Your macho who-gives-a-shit attitude reveals that you're dying inside.  You're aren't fooling anyone. 
10. Stop f-ing talking while I'm talking.  I want to beat the crap out of you. 

Irony's definition is
the belief that you

are the first
to face this impediment.

Stumbling, cursing, frantically
trying to re-organize the

chaos distorted around
your once-perfect, structured life.

No one understands.
You are an island.

The first ever
to apply, to fail,

to fill out
an application, a resume,

or face an
interview, or death's glare,

to feel alone,
with a lost soul. 

You see: irony.
Feeling alone in a

crowd of similarities.
Not knowing where to

turn, as a
sea of hands crashes

its comfort waves
around your drowning figure.

To be honest

To be honest, I never knew when you were being honest.

While many use sarcasm as a fallback, as protection, as humor, you wore sarcasm like a well-fitting body suit, a mask that grew the shapes of your face. 

I can picture you, hunched in your desk, scrawling on your paper, saturating the emptiness with lying truths that depicted the picture you wanted so badly to believe yourself.

And I thought I knew you.  I thought I started to see the you that was so cleverly hidden.

And you're right--I wanted to be your savior.  I wanted to be the light that shined in the shadows of your confusion, the lightning that struck solid truth and shattered it into your reality.

But, to be honest,
I never knew.

Argh.

Take
your baby
outside.

I get it.
You paid for the movie
too.

However,
I did not pay
to listen to the movie
with your baby
as a soundtrack.

Take
your baby
outside.

I get it.
You like to eat out
too.

However,
I can't hear my friends
even if I sit on their laps
and I did not order screaming
as an appetizer.

Take
your baby
outside.

I get it.
You need to get your shopping done
too.

However,
perhaps you could come back
when your baby's face is less fuschia
and it doesn't feel like you're buying torture
as an item in your cart.

Take
your baby
outside.

I get it.
Babies cry.

But adults punch.