Posted on by Yesenia

A memo

To my fellow teachers

Reading rosters

with names that

don’t roll off the tongue

the names that require

extra thought

extra effort and

the respect to be pronounced correctly

there’s always

an Appreciation

for the attempts

And there’s always a story

mine is of a soap opera

a Gypsy in love with a naval officer

the story of how

ye

Makes a j

Sound in

Spanish class

the only teachers

who could say it

without hesitation

my five-year-old self

changed my name to Sonia

while visiting Perú

because it made more friends

This for the names

that don’t appear on

souvenir cups

plates

or shirts

My student told me

most of my teachers

can’t say my name and it’s OK

and I told her no

they need to just say it

no matter how many times it takes.

Posted on by Yesenia

Hands

Hold our fate
lines etched
by destiny
and constantly
changing

they have power
to help
or to hurt

speak with no words

27 bones
overworked
every day
driving
typing
clicking
feeding
washing
scratching
throwing
grabbing
wiping
waving
cooking
and of course
writing.

Method of expression
premature newborns
survive by their mother’s
touch,
holding hands
demonstrates
love
and stroking
can cause explosions

Michelangelo’s creation
an extension of the
artist’s mind
they are creators
painting
drawing
writing
acting
playing
the guitar
piano
violin
any and every
instrument
shaping ideas
to come to life

but not everyone
has them.
adapting without
10 digital gadgets

Lefties learning
to thrive in a
right hand world

hands form
fists
used to punch
or to resist
but open
can always
link
to one another
to unite as
one.