Tuesday Slice: Putting the year to bed

 

I am looking forward

to wide open days

waking up an hour before sunrise,

instead of two

making personal decisions,

instead of professional ones

tending my own spaces,

instead of a public one

writing for myself,

instead of writing for others

creating for myself,

instead of creating for others

taking care of myself,

instead of taking care of others.

But first

the year must be put to bed.

Books found

numbers tallied

meetings held

plans made

spaces cleaned

reports run

accounts cleared

forms signed

and then, finally,

doors locked.

The school year

will be tucked in tight

and I will wake up

the parts of me

that were laid to rest

at the first bell.

Tuesday Slice: Inventory

One of my teachers said it best: "I thought it might be fun to be a librarian, but then I see you doing inventory, and I think no, that's not fun, that's hard."

We are in our last week of the school year.  Students finish on Thursday, and teachers finish on Friday.  My work calendar extends into next week; librarians have to compile an end-of-year report, wrap up finances, and clean up the library space after the majority of patrons are off for the summer.

Inventory is supposed to be finished this week, as final reports are run over Memorial Day weekend.  With over twenty-thousand cataloged items in our collection ranging from children's books to teaching kits, it is a daunting task that began back in February.

We are currently sitting at four hundred thirty-nine uninventoried items.  Students are still holding on to a hundred books that were supposed to be turned in on May eighth.  Six teachers still need their inventory completed.  Summer reading lessons need to be taught, and reading game sheets distributed.  I am without an assistant the last two days this week.

I want to enjoy this last week with the students, but the clock is ticking...

Tuesday Slice: Opening act

 

Fireflies at dusk

blinking at our window

The opening act

for fire in the sky

Does the rain

douse

the fireflies'

flame?

(Enquiring minds

need to know.)

Science lesson:

rain brings out the bugs

that firefly larvae feed upon--

more rain, more bugs, more fireflies.

(Thank you, Farmers' Almanac.)

Fireflies take cover

in the rain

their little flames

remaining intact

to blink once more

at my window.

Tuesday Slice: Sweat-er weather

 

'Tis the season

to be sticky

the insides of elbows

backs of necks

along waistbands

and bra-bands

behind knees

and at hairlines

'Tis the season

to be conflicted

Hot shower, 

or cool?

Catching rays, or

air conditioning?

Enjoying nature, or

swatting mosquitoes?

Beach, or

pool?

'Tis the season

of sunscreen and

extra deodorant and

heavy hair products and

swimsuit dread and

shaving daily and

craving sunlight and

cursing the sweat.

Spiritual Journey Thursday: Shall we dance?

 

I danced in the morning when the world was begun,

And I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun,

And I came down from heaven and I danced on the earth:

At Bethlehem I had my birth.

Dance, then, wherever you may be,

I am the Lord of the dance, said he,

And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be,

And I'll lead you all in the dance, said he.

I danced for the scribe and the Pharisee,

But they would not dance and they wouldn't follow me;

I danced for the fishermen, for James and John;

They came with me and the dance went on:

Dance, then, wherever you may be,

I am the Lord of the dance, said he,

And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be,

And I'll lead you all in the dance, said he.

I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame:

The holy people said it was a shame.

They whipped and they stripped and they hung me on high,

And they left me there on a cross to die:

Dance, then, wherever you may be,

I am the Lord of the dance, said he,

And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be,

And I'll lead you all in the dance, said he.

I danced on a Friday when the sky turned black;

It's hard to dance with the devil on your back.

They buried my body and they thought I'd gone;

But I am the dance, and I still go on:

Dance, then, wherever you may be,

I am the Lord of the dance, said he,

And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be,

And I'll lead you all in the dance, said he.

They cut me down and I leapt up high;

I am the life that'll never, never die.

I'll live in you if you'll live in me:

I am the Lord of the dance, said he.

Dance, then, wherever you may be,

I am the Lord of the dance, said he,

And I'll lead you all, wherever you may be,

And I'll lead you all in the dance, said he.

--Lyrics by Sydney Carter, 1963

May...

Maypole dances

Spring into Summer

pastel to neon Creation

you can almost see 

the flowers blossom

beneath unseen feet

dancing 

under a joyful sun

shaking off the ashes

of darkened days

those feet leaping high

so very, very high

melting into the

blazing sunlight

until you can't

see them anymore.

You let out a whoop,

your heart filled

with love and delight

privileged to play

in the garden of the Creator,

the Lord of the Dance.

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,

'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain'd,

To bow and to bend we will not be asham'd,

To turn, turn will be our delight,

Till by turning, turning we come round right.

--Elder Joseph Brackett, 1848

SJT writing circle, I hope this music and my humble offering of poetry inspires your own thoughts on "Shall we dance?".

Tuesday Slice: Card circles

 

Back when the year was

barely half-a-day old

I drew my cards

Two for each month

one crystal, one wisdom

Not fortune-telling, but

lenses, ways to view

life and problems and

opportunities

I start each month 

looking at the images

seeing how they fit

my circumstances

or how they don't

the latter suggesting

change, or at least

a new perspective

This month

both cards are

circles

Wheel of Fortune

and

Round and Round

Together they offer

opportunities to change,

reexamining cycles

breaking habits 

that don't benefit me

anymore, or at least

for right now

I'm starting with

deleting emails

about 

summer

professional 

development

ignoring

extra-duty

summer

signups

Breaking the cycle

of unpaid work

in June, July...

though I know it 

will happen,

anyway.

It always does,

because there's always

more to do.