Student: Professor, I have amounted to nothing. My life is a waste!
Professor: So what are your plans for tomorrow?
Day: July 17, 2004
The Struggles of Pre-teendom (Part I)
At eleven I act five
I wish my breast were alive
I think I deserve to be seventeen
Give me independence
Don’t be so mean
When I am there
I can declare I am free to be me
When I am there
He is not here
And I can worry only about me
My parents are dorks
One brother is a jerk
The other a pain
My sister is adorable
But only when we are playing
I hear them say I am smart
Which means I am special
So I mouth off alot
It is what adults do
And I have to be as responsible as you
Of Grasshoppers
Student: Why start? I’ll probably do it wrong anyway. Why finish? It won’t be good enough.
Master: Isn’t something never begun wrong already? How is the next great adventure to begin if the prior is not placed behind us?
All Perspective
West
Today the toilet overflowed potentially damaging our cabinetry and tainting the insulation and other wall innards that were pieced together with such care, perfection and attention to detail. It overflowed because I was overconfident and careless.
East
Today we were given inspiration to finish some things that we were waiting to “get around to it”. Today started out great and has been given reason to be even better. Today we are reminded to take things in stride.
North
Today no one was hurt. With minimal effort a mess was cleaned. All damage easily repaired.
South
Today tools were out of place. Parts were missing. Today I felt lost, incapable, lazy and not living up to my full potential. Today I scared my child and insulted my wife.
Of Grasshoppers
Student: Why is the crib moved out of place?
Teacher: Why does it matter?
Inescapable
Choas reigns
In perpetuity the circle spins
Hands grasping at grains
Unstoppable
Tears removing happiness
Innocence bellows away
Desire seeks the path of least resistance
Following downward deeper into despair
Futilely Man tells Nature The Order
Scornfully Nature disciplines Man
The Law is unforgiving
Inaction is individualist
Unallowable
Hurtful to others
Ambivalence is a choice
There is no easy way out
Of a hole that only grows deeper
When the dirt you throw out
Never reaches the top
And all you want to do
Is stop stop stop
Trauma to begin
Trauma to grow
Trauma to end
A butterfly in Kansas
A tsunami in Japan
A farmboy with a magnifying glass
A sudden calm in the storm
A tired child rests
The hay flares up
And Choas reigns
Don’t try. It’s a waste of time.
Don’t try. It’s a waste of time.