2 posts tagged “school”

She always sat by the windows during class.

Some days she was outspoken and other times she sat quietly and observed.

She wasn't from DC.

So we could never bond over Chuck Brown, super jumbo wings from the carry out or even call people "bamas" and say they were "lunchin."

Chicago, the south side was where she claimed to be.

From what I remember, her poetry wasn't always on the profound concious level tip.

Her poetry wasn't flat neither.

They were words.. her words.

I once thought they were real.

Deep down to the bone true.

Until I began to get a feeling.

She was hiding.

Finally what she had buried long ago was starting to show.

Medina asked us to write a poem based on death or loss of a loved one...

Or was the topic simply on cancer?

Either way she refused to write.

She blurted out

"I lost my mother at a young age. I can't write about that."

However old she was, I sensed the death was still fresh... still too new.

Medina urge her write, but she simply refused.

Eventually she vented on paper.

I don't even remember if she shared with the class.

Medina made us do that from time to time.

Still, I was too wrapped up in my own misery to stick around to see what became of her.

I just remember my poem on "cancer".....

It was something like this...

A piercing pain stabs my womb

Induced labor, I'm forced to deliver love

Stillborn

For love was conceived under false pretenses

Self indulged

All in the name of fun

I was told to cleanse myself of such

Nuisance

Yet, I was seasoned to his thinking

He sucked me dry, robbing me of my vitality

The Cancer

Born under the fourth sign, but he left under the ninth

Life

I was left barren

 - Tiffany Browne (Mahoganie), Robbed Life, written October 21, 2003.

I wonder what became of her.

I wonder if she ever made peace with her mind.

Will she ever feel comfortable with her loss?

She came to mind today.

Not sure why.

Clear as day she was sitting in her same spot in the classroom

By the window.

Yellow bookbag with Howard Dean for President stickers plastered to it.

She was Dean's cheerleader.

I wonder what became of her.

Today has been about homework. Not for any particular reason or shall I say not for a "mandatory" reason.

The U.S. Department of Education sent me a notice in the mail today or really a congratulatory letter.

I'm one payment away from being "rehabilitated". Meaning, if I should choose to go back to the school with help from the government, I'm one paymeny away from loan eligibility.

Yippe!!!

Ironically I was literally about to pick up the phone and call them to see where I currently stand.

I'm a bit tickled at the fact that in the eyes of the US. Gov't I'm about to become "rehabilitated."

Makes it seem as if I was strung out on crack for the three years I was m-i-a from school.

I did manage to make a phone call to my school today.

"Hello, I'm a former student looking to return and I was within the school of communications. I would like to come up to the school tomorrow to speak with an adviser. However, I need the name of the person who would be my adviser?"

After asking for my name, the person on the other end of the line gladly gave me the name of my adviser.

I'm nervous about a (possibly soon) return. I kinda fear I'm going to fall in the same runt I did all those years I was in school.

Feelings of anxiety and being overwhelmed.

Yet, I do have a strong desire to finish this.

Also, I still have a hanging balance on my tuition bill too.

Blah.

Nevertheless, I know.. this must be done.

In the meantime, I'm gearing up for a volunteer gig coming up in a few weeks. Actually this is some of my mother's doing, but at least she asked me if I wanted to take part.  The chapter of her social organization that she is a member of is having a workshop for some sixth grade students. The workshop is educational and a bit artsy fartsy as it focuses on entrepreneurship, etiquette and a few other values.

Where do I come in?

Well I'm suppose to introduce or really encourage some writing skills, especially with forms of poetry.

Did I mention that I would be working with a group of sixth grade boys????

I don't mind doing this. I'm actually a bit excited.

The tricky part is... how would I start the session?

I know I want to introduce a couple of different forms of poetry that probably isn't taught in school... forms I didn't learn into I was in college and took a class by poet Tony Medina.

I thought about opening up with Tupac's book of poetry. Maybe. Then slide in Langston Hughes, Audre Lourde, Sekou Sundiata, Nikki Giovanni and Sonia Sanchez. I'll figure it out I suppose.  I won't want to choose a poet or poem that might be too far fetched for a sixth grader's mind and I don't want anything too elementary neither.

Well I guess I'll sign off now ad return to the daily activities at this "rehab."

The Snickerdoodle has (once again) misplaced her pacifier and is about to have a fit.