Monthly Archives: May 2011

WOTD: rapture

With thanks to Cissi for the idea…

Apparently, the world is supposed to end tomorrow so I thought this might be a good time to discuss our two options leading up to the pending apocalypse.

1. The rapture option.

This entails being physically removed from the earth in the midst of the turmoil of Judgement Day and sort of beamed up to heaven. Recommended for those most eager to meet Jesus in person. This would mean repenting our sins or something.

2. The “completely over-the-top, extravagant orgy of total hedonistic abandon” option.

No further explanation needed. This was Mark Base’s idea and that’s good enough for me.

Until next time. If there is a next time.

HELP (for my sisters)

(Take a breath, and read this slowly)

Close your eyes,
Hear your breath,
Feel your heart,
In your chest,
Count the beats,
One by one,
Now the calm,
Has begun,
Reach inside,
A girl is there,
Help her up,
Stroke her hair,
Take her hand,
Kiss her cheek,
That girl is you,
The You you seek,
Now be strong,
Just for her,
Guide her way,
And be sure,
Show her love,
Kiss her face,
All will fall,
Into place,
When she is calm,
So will you be,
That inner peace,
Will set you free,
You’ll feel warmth,
And love and care,
Let your life’s choices,
Flow from there.

STAGES

Curse these stages I’m going through,
Wonder if it’s the same for you,
Sometimes I find I question why,
Then I try to deny it’s true,

Then anger comes and I lash out,
My pain and hurt I write about,
I know in time it will subside,
Then I’ll hide and just want to pout,

I’ll muse, and my thoughts rearrange,
Looking for something I could change,
Trying to rework the equation,
Of a situation that feels strange,

I’ll work things through and with new eyes,
In time will come to realise,
That our chance has both come and passed,
It didn’t last – we’ve said goodbyes.

Aw shucks…

I was just awarded the Celebrate Poet of Summer in 2011 Award for my poem “A Warning”  that I submitted to the Promising Poets’ Poetry Cafe website. About 100 other poets also won the same award, but having my work read and awarded by a group of other extraordinarily gifted poets is a very good feeling, indeed. I’d even say it’s an awesome feeling.

Yay, me!

WOTD: raphanizein

Here’s another word off the request line, brought to you by Poet Master Blitzken. Today’s word is a noun that I defy any of you to copy and paste into Google and search for images.

On second thought, that might not be a very good idea.

Rhaphanidosis, you see, is the practice of inserting the large roots of plants into the anus. This is not for sexual/bondage purposes. During the 4th and 5th centuries B.C. in Ancient Greece it was a common punishment for adultery. Apparently, they took adultery REALLY seriously back then. Getting a large horseradish root shoved up your ass sounds a bit worse than having to wear a scarlet letter A on your chest for the rest of your life.

This word isn’t used very often these days, but one could perhaps use it to describe a situation that feels (hopefully metaphorically) kind of like having something large and bulbous inserted into your backside in the most painfully unwelcome way.

Oh man, watching that movie was a raphanizeinian experience.  (Baffle your friends.)

Incidentally, raphanizein wasn’t the only punishment for adultery back then. Sodomy by mullet fish was also common. And both the large radish and the fish would eventually run you through. Imagine having to choose between the two. Like having to choose between death by plague or cholera?

*shudders*

Turn and face the strain…

I just got some rather unsettling news at work which might affect me a great deal. The utterly capable and lovely woman whom I admire and respect and consider to be the best boss I’ve ever had, just announced that she’s resigning. This will be her last year as Head Mistress/principal of the school. She’s taken a job at an advertising and media company, which is apparently her field of expertise and what she studied in school. I’m not sure how she ended up becoming a school administrator but she’s been doing that job excellently for the last six years.

This is compounded by the fact that both of our assistant principals will soon be unavailable. One of them recently adopted a little girl and left for a year’s leave of absence a few months ago. The wife of the other one is having a baby in August, so he too will be taking some paternity leave. And we’re all left wondering who’s going to run the ship.

Once the initial shock wore off I began to realize that one of the people chosen to fill the gap will most likely be me. They’ve been grooming me for administrative work for the last three months. About a month before Maria left for her maternity leave I started working in the front office one day a week. It has since increased to three days a week and basically whenever I’m needed. It’s typical office work: answering the phone, taking messages, sending emails, helping students with administrative needs, signing for packages, etc. I’ve done this kind work before and I enjoy it, plus I’m very organized and have a great phone voice.

I don’t think they’d ask me to step in and become the Head Mistress/Principal (rektor in Swedish), but I have a feeling they’ll ask me to become an assistant principal. I’m good at organizing and running projects, but the possibility of becoming a school administrator has never occurred to me. I’ve always been a teacher and I’ve always for the most part hated school administrators and I’m not sure if I really want to become one.

This promotion would mean an increase in hours and responsibility, as well as a substantial raise. Would it be worth it, though? I really love being a teacher. Just a teacher. Both of our assistant principals are also teachers, though, so I know I’d still have lessons. This would also mean I would have to get really good at Swedish really fast.

Anyway, no one’s mentioned anything about who is taking over for whom yet, but there’s supposed to be a meeting about it tomorrow afternoon. I’ll sure be sorry to see my boss go. I think she just got sick of working under the dreaded Big Boss. Of course this means that if they try to kick me upstairs then I’ll be working under him, although I won’t see him everyday since he lives and works in Stockholm.

Maybe I shouldn’t be counting my chickens before they hatch, but during my recent employee evaluation the Big Boss said they wanted to give me a full time contract and increase my responsibility even more next year.

So that’s that.

Almost Gone

Look through my window… See how the sunlight sparkles...On the breezy bay.

When last we met,
You were a shadow.
A dream…
A ghost from long ago.
Like the tune to a forgotten song,
You’re still here,
But almost gone.
I don’t think you know I’m here.
You are lost…
About to disappear.
Where you’ve gone,
I know not where,
But, surely you must still be in there.
Oh, daddy…
Do you know it’s me?
When you look,
What do you see?
Do you see me looking at you?
The little girl,
Who still loves you…

Update: I’ve just been awarded the Perfect Poet Award from the Poet’s Poetry Cafe website. This poem was so personal, and so painful for me to read and to write. I’m quite overcome.

 

Dear Dominique Strauss-Kahn:

Dear Mr.Dominique Strauss-Khan:
Don’t go trying anything on,
Not sure if you’re guilty or not,
But we’ll find out when you’re on the spot,
IMF hands are dirty enough,
Without getting tangled in your sordid stuff,
Thought they were ugly as ugly as can get,
Burdening lands with unsupportable debt,
Turns out keeping bankers and business in beds,
Left a sense of power that inflated your heads,
But now you’ve time to think while sitting in jail,
Since an American judge wisely denied your bail,
The case will unfold, and we’ll soon get to see,
Since no doubt we’ll be watching on tv,
Whether the way that you think the game’s usually played,
Will get you off the hook with a hotel room maid.