April Fool's Day # 15 Sheltering in Place for NaPoWriMo; 46 Days to Work

Oh boy, April Fools Day. This may the perfect day to read that California schools will maintain “at-home” instruction for the rest of the school year as reported on SFGate.

For me this means that I’ll end my career as a public school teacher sheltering in place at home, working at a desk in my bedroom instead of one of the classrooms where I’ve taught and coached for the past 29 years. Who knows when I’ll be able to go back to foggy Daly City?

Thank you, Covid-19.

But I’m determined not to let this nasty virus to take complete control of my life. To that end, I say Happy National Poetry Month!

For poets and poetry lovers around the world April 1st marks the first day of National Poetry Month as well as National Poetry Writing Month (NaPoWriMo). It’s been a few years since I’ve participated in NaPoWriMo, but maybe this year I can manage to squeeze out a few poem just to spite the nasty virus.

For this day, I offer a post I wrote five years ago. It heartens me to remember how this poem was born. A revised version found its way into my book Always a Blue House.

National Poetry Month: April 1, 2015

It's that time again: National Poetry Month which means I'll be participating in NaPoWriMo once again. Last year I posted a haiku on my blog every day in April. This year I'm determined to post different types of poems each day. 

And if any of you want to write a poem to me, I'll post your work as well. 

So taking courage in hand (who in her right mind would post poems when they are newborn?), here goes.

Day 1:

Washing Dishes

White shards shattered,

scattered over the tile floor.

The plate flew past his head, 

like in a movie 

she had once watched,

like she had often imagined.

How it started doesn’t matter.

A bird trapped in her cage,

approval the worm she craved.

Not his half hidden glance

as he turned away,

derision written in the curve of his lips.

As she wiped that plate dry,

warm from its bath,

porcelain smooth, 

this time her hand 

knew the reply

she had never dared.