Even though the road was rough with thorn and cry,
And nights fell heavy on your weathered brow.
Still, morning leaned its gold against the sky,
And dared you to begin again somehow.

The storms have carved their truth upon your skin,
With winds that sang of loss, and rains that stung.
Yet in their rage, they taught the strength within,
The song you’d never known your soul had sung.

But oh, remember, not just dark and gale,
Not just the hollow ache of trials passed.
There were sunrises soft and sunsets pale,
That held you close when nothing else could last.

A hush of fire upon the waking hill,
A lavender goodbye across the sea.
These moments, small and luminous and still,
Were love’s own way of setting your heart free.

So walk, dear soul, through shadow and through light,
And let each dawn restore what storms have worn.
For even sorrow, tempered by the night,
Must kneel in grace when golden day is born.

Parents are your first teachers;
But if they were permissive,
Teachers have rules they follow through on.
If parents were too strict,
Teachers cut you slack.
If you fall, they may or may not pick you up.
If you were abused, they will report it,
Despite all your objections.
If you've been excluded, you're now in a class.
If you're really smart, they'll show you how much there is to learn.
If you're struggling, they'll show you how to learn.
If you're afraid, stand beside a teacher.
If you're a bully, you will confront your victims.
If you're in doubt, they'll search you out.
If you're cocky, they'll trim your spurs.
If you're lonely, they have room.
If you need solitude, they have a room.
If you're in love, they know the season;
If you know hate, they know the feeling.
When you compete, they're in the seats.
When you're sad, or conflicted,
Teachers listen.
They taught Moses, Jesus and Mohamed,
Yes. Teachers beget teachers.
They instructed Socrates, Aristotle and Plato.
They put us in North America and on the moon.
They worked with Salk and Banting, Gates and Jobs.
Anyone can learn something.
They even taught our parents,
But not everyone learns.
Hey, Teachers, don't leave those kids alone!

It's the unbridled excitement
Joy washing over a little mind, a tiny soul
Fast heart, catching words, losing breath

It's the enthusiasm of listening
Attention held for the sake of being enraptured
Wide eyes, fidgeting hands, innocent eyes

It's the space to try and fail and learning to try again
Steadfast calm; room for mistakes into lessons
Furrowed brow, gentle touch, try again

It's the unregulated volume, big laughs and frivolity
Comfort, ease, natural to take up space together
Clenched stomachs, teary eyes, Relaxed

It was "sit down, be quiet, not right now"
Dismissal of a moment but shattering worth and desire
Tight throat, quivering lip, silent steps

It was "no back talk, always sarcastic, never disrespect"
Enraged pores incite fear into obedience
Neutral stare, shutting down, have no thoughts

It was constant fear, coded footsteps and hypervigilance
Always listening in an attempt to be prepared
Tense muscles, quick movements, don't make a sound

You reached out your hand
I gave you an onion set -
Grubby and crisp,
torn from the land.
You cradled it in your arms and
though it’s layers stung, sang a quiet lament.
Gnarled and wild, its roots tangled,
mining salt, a sweeter scent.

Dirt smeared your palms
but you held tight, singing psalms
planting it in God’s rich earth,
patiently guiding it skyward when it slid back-
And it slid so often its sprouts screamed
as the maggots came forth, split at the seams.

Some days you came with parsley
Others with meaningful song -
Teaching green shoots to dance in the wind,
bask in the Son, trust in the Father, stay strong.
Praying the roots to anchor in tight
Chasing out darkness with glorious light.

I reached out my hand
She gave me an onion set -
grubby and crisp,
torn from the land.
I cradled it in my arms and
knew just what to do -
heart fixed on the Lord,
I whispered “Jesus loves you”.

I call to you from bruised knees,
amidst a haze of my own humanness
in a blood-smeared tunic
with dirt in my nail beds
tear stains on my face
and you are waiting.
Arms spread wide and love in your eyes.
“You are mine”,
And my heart slows -
because I am yours.

You know my heart –
every muscle and sinew,
you built to the frame of my bones
breathed your design into every cell
and numbered the hairs on my head.

And so, whilst I battle confused against my fingers
Gripping like iron clamps to burdens,
refusing to give them up though I so want to let go -
You are not surprised.
I don’t understand.
You didn’t ask me to.
And from the depths of my soul song rises
whispered, ragged almost at first
to praise the One who never changes
who is always trustworthy
whose arms are spread wide and waiting
a heart felt Hallelujah.

Conflict and rage is all that is left.
My mind is shattered, my body restless,
The feelings of mine have turned to ice,
As if the life lost all its spice,
And became the victim of sacrifice.
If I could cry, that would have been nice,
But the broken and torn person would not suffice,
To exist in this world,
You must understand
The game of dice
The game of treachery taking its stand,
I feel numb, not ready to move,
I smell of ashes and residue,
And it seems to refuse,
It seems to refuse ,the darkness within me,
It seems to refuse, the emptiness within me,
I guess that is how you live and learn,
I guess that is how your weaknesses burn....

Many a mistake, I've made
But that need not necessarily be bad
Because, a lot I've learned
Whenever I've failed
I feel I can handle anything
And need to fear nothing
Because, I've seen the worst
Though I'm yet to see the best!

Many a mistake, I've made
To my struggles, you'll see no end
Often, do I trip and fall
In my court, never is the ball
But I'm slowly improving
My personality is developing
Yes, I haven't tasted success
But I'm certainly a work in progress!!

Many a mistake, I've made
But I know I'll come good
Only a matter of time
Please, give not a ****
About my past failures
See my improvements
Big and small
I rise after every fall!!

Many a mistake, I've made
But the world won't end
After all, life is up and down
And I'm definitely not alone
We all make mistakes
In fact, that's the best path to success
More important than learning what to do
Is learning what not to do!!

Many a mistake, I've made
But immensely, they've helped
I am battle-hardened
And will go to bed
Knowing I've done enough
To handle the rough
Soon, will the smooth come
Again, only a matter of time
I repeat, many a mistake, I've made
But ultimately, I've learned
That's all that matters
Thank you for your patience!!

my dad taught me English

just one time
I was at the age of nine
or maybe six
three
or two
I have no clue
it’s his first language
or something close to it
from Cuba, China, Canada,
to college in the Netherlands
and meeting Belgium for the first
not only for thirst
but because it’s a place
called home
for my grandparents
cause at the end
you always come back
to what you’ve had
I guess that doesn't rhyme
but It's fine

when I was twelve
I had to go to language camp
trying to learn
the language that has burned
on the soul of my dad
don't get mad
I came crying home
practice was needed
one week
not enough

so after summer turned
school returned
English I learned
while I sat on that chair
in the seat over there
pen and book
it was terrible too
but after three years
I could finally say
"How are you today?”

not special for sure
just studying this
everyone can do it
but I hope someday
I can make him proud
when he won't shout
when I make…
a misssteaaacke


I'm sorry