Poetry or you
I couldn't write or draw
On the lips of the page
The ink of the infant wisdom
just peeing the flowery scent
On the thoughts of the botanical nature
The skin of the time is scratched trigger
In the wheels of sunny years
gripping, losing, building, decaying
like the mould of the daffodil's life
No girl, no poetry
No poetry, no life
No life, no death
So, no girl, no value
All evaluations are a trifle new
©Mahtab Bangalee
8th January, 2025
Chattogram
The Cost of a Human Life
I sat as an observer
in a state’s superior court.
First-degree murder was the charge.
Cold blooded calculated murder was the act.
One teen on a sleepover was beaten to death
from behind with an aluminum baseball bat.
The teen pled guilty and the sentence
before final plea bargaining was two years.
The mourning wail of the dead teen’s mother
rose far beyond the failing plastered court ceiling.
What is two years?
two visits to the CPA to pay taxes
twelve tire rotations
two World Series
four dental cleanings
two spring plantings
how long I have procrastinated
sweeping out the garage
twenty car washes
two work performance evaluations
for one human life.
I sat as a witness
in a state’s superior court
as part of society
guilty.
In life, we seek to grow and thrive,
To reach new heights and strive.
But oftentimes, we may forget,
To evaluate our own mindset.
The Bible speaks of self-reflection,
A tool for our own protection.
360 feedback can bring to light,
Our strengths and weaknesses in sight.
Mentoring with God, we can gain,
Insight to overcome the pain.
With prayer and Scripture by our side,
Our self-awareness can arise.
So, let us judge ourselves with grace,
And seek to run our own race.
For in our evaluations true,
We'll find the path that leads to new.
EVALUATIONS
out
of sight
lapsed
into
obscurity
unfashionable
unremembered
still noble
belatedly
repurposed
so
sensitive
&compelling
thisss
persuasive
tension
presenting
impressions
in masterly
conformity
with
cumulative
&disruptive
force
steadily
enriching
&
deepening
understanding
NOTE:THIS IS AN OPEN(organic) FORM VERSE using spaces&breaks without grammatical symbols ,the ' open' relies upon 'the one breath limitation' & so inherently requires the 'reader' (reciter) to input and responds thus making this enigmatic form a two way interplay & interpretatIon unique to the moment& changing according to mood is inherently variable.
Copyright © Brian Strand
Reputation
I marveled the emeritus recognition
I felt compelled to sniff the reputations
Somewhat louder than the tradition
I crave the silent, staple self-respect
My tribute, I could not awaken
I crave the conventional, Confucians credo
A notorious celebrity - that notorious celebrity
Somewhat louder than the libido
I crave the ancestry, acclaimed aphrodisiac
Mine reputation
Spans beyond information
Forth wit my education
Sanctions my situation
Covering my operations communication
Be it far from the nation
Generation’s evaluations interpretation
Amidst generational interpretation
4/14/22
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr. 2022©
I am barely awake at my job today
I yawn and yawn, trying to stay up and awake
Of course, this is my evaluation day
I am not worried, not concerned. I do not quiver or quake.
I have had evaluations, and they have all gone okay.
I am yawning and yawning and yawning today.
Where is all of this tiredness coming from? I ask myself.
No idea, but I am feeling like a crazy, insane, yawning elf.
I had better drink some water, so I can pretend to be alive.
At least I get evaluated before a quarter to five.
Here is another yawn. It is so irritating to me!
Here is my supervisor, scary as can be!
There are no more magic wands
no magical “godmothers”
to wave them
to inspire the dreamers.
No more “threesomes” of
bears, little pigs, or billy goats.
The Little Red Hen has been replaced
By Gordon Ramsay.
Pinocchio denied his dream
of being a real boy.
“The Little Engine That Could”
Is being told that
“it shouldn’t have”.
Atlas has been told
to stop shrugging.
Dick and Jane
have been expelled from school
for running, jumping, laughing
and not having Spot neutered.
“Show and Tell”
has become an expose’
of family dysfunction.
Recess has been banned
as no one should be
faster, quicker, or better
than anyone…..at anything.
Grading systems have become
evaluations of socio-political conformity.
Teachers have become “The Muppets”
manipulated by unseen hands.
And yet……
Children still sword fight with sticks
race each other to see…..who’s the fastest
wrestle, fall down, get bruised….and..
get up again….
TO PLAY.
John G. Lawless
7/12/2021
have you heard of the cloud appreciation society?
Jesus Christ
cloud spotters
points for clouds
you got ya stratocumulus
I just saw a cumulus congestus tower
thirty points for that
fifty-five points for stacked plates
kelvin-helmholtz
sundogs
rainbows
pyrocumulus
smoke from the kettle counts
one bloke submitted steam from his fried sausages
crematoriums are out I said
some of them disputed my evaluations
I've got the handbook I told them
I understand the science of the sky
one said we should have cloud spotting VAR
I told them sod it then
Mind Scape
Images stir within the mind
Apparitions surreal
Subconscious amphitheatre
Abyssal concealed
Transcending revelations
Quantum evaluations
Subliminal relations
External implications
~~Move the Clouds~
(A Reason for Rainbows)
When you left, you took my heart!
It was midnight.
You darted out of the house into
that midnight Spring moonlight,
with but two sentences.
I stood there weeping, with my tears
falling on my starlit engagement ring.
Like a fool, I believed what you said.
You bag of arrogant wind!
I seriously thought of suicide
each day for months.
I went into therapy, too
But God had much bigger plans
for me.
He placed a beautiful man in my life,
who never hurt me or caused strife.
I became the Mother of a
beautiful girl, an outstanding
grandson and a totally transformed life.
I don't let people's outrageous
evaluations of me cause me
pain.
Others judgements are what
they are, their judgements!
They are not me.
I learned to soar like the white
sea gulls above the Pacific.
So astonishingly high above
San Francisco Bay!
Whenever, I chose~night or day.
And be totally me, me, me.
Now and forever.
Free ,free, free!
Of others' arrogance and
grandiose superiority.
~~~~~
June 2, 2019
3am PST
OF HIS FOE HE SAID
" HIS DESTINY IS DETERMINED
BY THE EVALUATIONS OF HIS TASK'S!"
THE ANALYSIS OF BEING BEST, TO MANUVER
AND OUTWREST THE OPONNET!
THE DIMENSION GUAGED TO MEASURE
INHERENT IN CALULATING
THE REALIGMENTING ENDEAVOR!
THIS IS A POEM FOR THE LOVES OF MY LIFE. WITH LOVE YOUR DARLING FREIND! TO.....
GUS " RUMPALL STYLLSKIN" KALLIO: BOREK" BOSSY" SIMIT:" BIGHAND" "BIGHAND" OVA ESTRUS
REVANI CACIK KUMPIR:
: CANIS "LUPUS" FAMILARIS. "BE GOOD, AND DEVIL WILL CURSE YOU !"
ENTISAPATING WHAT HE'D SAY, DONE TO MAKE HIM LESSER, AND BORING ! BLA, BLA, BLA ! "BASSOON" MOONSONG, AND "SAME STRAP" NANNY, WISH YA'LL A HAPPY BIRTHDAY !
I am, who I am, and whose I am.
We are people of and who we are.
They are, who they are and whose they are.
From the beginning, of the World’s Destiny.
Yet, God assisted, God directed and God revealed.
Evaluations are in the unseen and seen.
All this was meant to be.
From the beginning, of the World’s Destiny.
First, have your way and will with me Lord.
"Love," you said, "is the perfect Key,"
unlocking the hearts of those who would believe.
This, from the foundation, of the World’s Destiny.
A new creation we are called to be.
Good deeds and works are laid out for we.
Only grace and a willing heart to achieve.
From the already written Book of life; from all eternity.
S Sorriest type of assessment
T Two answers always sound right; one is author’s idea of more right.
A Assumes we have identical life experiences, exposed to same words
N No one likes them- not the students, teachers or parents
D Do not guess, but what to do when you have no idea whatsoever?
A Assumes students have computer skills and typing skills.
R Ridiculously limited as to what they are measuring
D Depressing to students who do not test well or have test anxiety
I I believe portfolios are a better indicator of student accomplishment
Z Zany questions never asked in real life, strange vocabulary also
E Excellent grade for ten students per school, demoralizing to the others
D Depressing to the student who gets a low score.
T Teachers threatened by their students’ test scores, tied to evaluations.
E Every parent needs to say “No, thank you."
S Students are over-tested before the real test.
T Teachers cringe when they see their students’ test results
S Students feel badly when they get a low score
Dr. McNitt’s coming, we were warned. She’s old-school.
Secretly my heart was cheering, this meant strict rules.
Seasoned and sassy, I wisely kept my counsel to myself,
I am so glad though she is coming back 6 months off the shelf.
The evaluations aren’t finished, lamented a young teacher, year one.
She was scared because classroom management, this turkey has practically none.
Dr. McNitt arrived the day after conferences, ripe and ready.
I’m terrified of her, a co-worker said. (She never was too steady).
Dr. McNitt’s bark was gruff, but she truly has a gentle heart of gold.
Best of all, we’re on the same wavelength, seasoned and bold.
Today I hear her talking with another staff member through the wall.
Dr. McNitt’s advice is sound, and her fearless spine stands tall.
She gets along exceedingly well with everyone here,
And her pup Winston spreads daily doses of goodwill and happy cheer.
She’s leaving Friday, and although it’s two days, I am mourning already.
If she gets a new dog, she’d better name her Caren, not Poindexter or Freddy.
In a word, I love you, Dr. McNitt, You’ve done a bang up job!
Come back in a heartbeat, you remind me of Bette, and Cher and Maud!
We live life as a prescription
Following the moral code
But we suffer contradictions
On this long and distant road
Heeding and keeping edicts
Is the focus of the game
But the accolades we’re seeking
Aren’t ours to acclaim
We have lived obeying orders
And conventions that we face
Without stopping for direction
We accept our daily fate
But we fail to bother trusting
Our own internal voice
Disappointments, we are feeling
‘Cause we think we have no choice
A life that’s unexplored and empty
Doesn’t have to rule our lives
And the standard expectations
Aren’t enough now to suffice
We must trail our new horizons
And must plot our own design
And base the evaluations
On our truth that we will find
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