When his gaze
met hers
across the room,
what
he meant to say
with his wink
was, ‘You entrance me’
‘I want to know you.’
‘I will fill your life with joy.’
But when she looked
again,
tears poured down his cheeks,
while he blinked feverishly,
so she looked away,
toward another sultry smile.
When his gaze
met hers
across the room,
he had much to convey
with his winking eye
but all his dreams
were destroyed
by a lens-bound fly.
Today,
I’m picketing injustice
with my son’s guitar.
Time to learn
how to play.
A rainy picket day
may as well bring new skills,
since there’s no other pay.
One tumour
one bed
two hands clasped
four walls
five chairs
eleven shallow breaths a minute
twenty-four syringes of pain meds
counting down now
four days since you ate
five days since you spoke
how many hours
of life?
.
.
.
Good bye Auntie Linda
who passed away at 10 p.m. June 26, 2014
apparently moments before I wrote this poem.
I’d been with her at 9 p.m.
.
After he came to her bed
she threw out her make up,
grew her hair over her face,
and zipped up a blubber suit.
After he came to her bed
she faded into a gossamer ghost,
hidden in plain sight.
I want
sun on your shoulders
breeze in your hair
speed in your feet
you with
me.
Here is Suo Gân, a Welsh lullaby, arranged by me and dedicated to David Prosser of the Barsetshire Diaries.
.
.
My paternal great-grandmother was Margaret Owen, born in Holyhead, Wales. She was married to Thomas Mosses of London, England. About the only time the two appear to have been together is on their marriage certificate. According to many years of census data, Margaret was alone from the time of the marriage onward. My grandfather was David Owen Mosses. I wonder if single mother Margaret ever sang this lullaby to young David?
.
(And if you happen to be a Mosses from Liverpool or London, I’d love to hear from you).
The porch swing rocks
beneath a speckled sky.
Mosquito hums fill the air;
black wings swoop overhead
in invisible rustlings,
swallowing music.
Shawn L. Bird 
political statement- BC teachers’ strike June 26, 2014
Tags: BCTF, strike, teachers
This is why teachers in BC are on strike.
I find most people in our community understand that we’re out for a reason and they are *very* supportive: bringing us food, coffee, waving, honking, etc.
Occasionally people shout “Get back to work, you lazy SOBS!” (Not many- about one or two a day) We are sorry the education system was able to teach these people neither how important it is to research an issue before you articulate an opinion, nor how important it is for people to stand up for themselves against illegal actions from their government. We’ll stand up for the kids of even those uninformed people.
For details, here is a very entertaining and accurate presentation about why every working person in BC needs to be alarmed about this government, why teachers voted in such numbers to walk. If they can do this to the teachers, they can do it to you.
.
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I am the BCTF.
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