9/11

Two houses of cards
consecutively collapse,
with kings jumping from the top ace,
and queens whispering their final executions,
onto a board of naive believers,
always believing their lies,
but never asking too many whys,
we hear their cries
collide
with rubber tires,
as grown men fall to their knees,
helplessly hoping to meet god
sooner or later,
wishing the former
sooner than the latter,
as they write of skin boiling
under the heat of the day,
when east found west,
secret scouts long watching
finally rewarded,
by seeing an empire misplaced,
its head displaced,
throwing pop rocks,
shooting cap guns,
and swinging empty fists wildly
in every which direction,
hoping futilely,
of striking anything
smelling of conspiracy,
but never really opening their eyes
and see why
they can’t arbitrate lies,
times slipping, fleeting,
none to spare, but
proud eagles dare flying,
not wanting to step aside
and questiong why,
they’re hiding blood-soaked arrows
under gilded wings
with lying talons
clutching desperately
to ostentatious olive branches
red, with blood-shot eyes,
and broken dreams.

In June I started my journey with Teach for America (TFA). We spent a week in Hawaii for “Induction,” a sort of pre-training introduction to TFA, Hawaii, and its culture. It was definitely more like a mini-vacation than the Inductions in the Mississippi Delta and elsewhere.

After Induction we flew to Texas where we would spend the next five, intensive weeks learning how to be a teacher. They call it Institute. We call it Teacher Boot Camp. And man is it hard! The first week of teaching was especially rough, with up to four lesson plans due in one day. I usually get less than five hours of sleep Monday through Thursday as I am up all night planning for future classes.

Although the weekdays are rough, the weekends are a lot of fun. The Hawaii Corps is one big Ohana, which means family in Hawaiian. There is definitely a sense of Aloha, which means welcomingness. Although rough, I know this will really prepare me to hit the ground running in Hawaii. Sometimes I struggle, but it’s all worth it for the keiki (children) of Houston, Hawaii, and everywhere else I will have a chance to touch as a teacher.

The future excites me.