Another re-post of an old favourite, as I try to get some words done on my CampNaNoWriMo project!
This poem was written as a submission to the Burnaby Writers Society Poetry contest. The theme was fire, and poets were encouraged to interpret the theme. Still 2 months before winners will be announced.
September 2011: This one was a contest finalist! Yay!
.
You reached
into the flames
and plucked an ember
that glowed with
happiness and hope
upon your palm.
.
In the
wavering sphere
of gold and crimson
light, I glimpsed our
future in flickering
depths.
.
But when I reached to take it in my grasp
you clasped
your fist closed,
so the glow
of my hope
spilled
from
your
fingers.
.
“No,” you said.
“It will burn you.”
.
Truth scorched through
the kindness in your eyes, but could not
extinguish my anguish,
even as you wrapped me in your arms
and murmured worthless words of consolation.
.
I didn’t want your wisdom.
I…
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Shawn L. Bird 
poor choices July 14, 2013
Tags: poverty, working poor
In the last year or two I’ve learned a lot about the challenges of the working poor. I thought that when we were students, that we were poor. While our income well below the ‘poverty line’ we never felt poor. We shopped for clothes and furniture at thrift stores and garage sales. We filled our grocery cart with products in vibrant yellow boxes, and we certainly weren’t out buying extras, but we didn’t feel poor. We never had bill collectors call us, or had utilities cut off because we were behind in our payments. We never asked our parents for help to cover our day to day expenses, although being parents, they would often send us home with generous care packages when we went to visit.
Our children arrived while we were juggling university and jobs. The magazine the hospital gave me said that it cost $3500 to get everything a…
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