Multiculturalism -- Synthesis

At the beginning of the course on Multiculturalism I've taken this semester, my answer to the question, 'Should we be teaching from a multicultural perspective?' probably would have been, why? My answer at the end of this thought-provoking course is, why not?

I have found this to be one of the most valuable courses I have taken in my decision to obtain a master's degree in education because it has broadened my horizons and increased my awareness and understanding of multiculturalism far beyond what I thought possible. I had considered myself fairly well-versed in multiculturalism simply due to the fact that my family is multicultural, but the goal of education is to take us beyond our immediate borders, cultural and otherwise, and broaden them into the borders of other cultures. This course has done this for me.

So should we be teaching from a multicultural perspective? How can we do otherwise? We live in a country that is multicultural. We all come from multicultural backgrounds. We live in a world that is shrinking by larger degrees every year. We live in a country that, despite insreasingly stringent immigration policies, invites immigrants from every nation on the planet to live here, every year. We are not a melting pot, we are a melted pot. We must teach from a multicultural perspective, teach tolerance, teach understanding, demystify ethnic myths and strengthen our unity through the strength of our individual ethnicities in order to not just to survive, but to live our lives to the fullest. I have said that my family is multicultural, and it is.

My husband is Japanese, my brother-in-law is American Indian, my best friend is German-American, my mother is German and Scot and my father was French, Irish and English. My niece is half Hispanic, my ex-brother-in-law is second-generation Italian, another brother-in-law is Polish and my brother-in-law on my husband's side is Scottish. We are multi-racial, we are international, we are multicultural and we are not the only multicultural family in America today. And so, I believe that it is imperative that we teach from a multicultural perspective in order to educate our children to prepare them for the international world in which we live.

Yes, I think that we should be teaching from a multicultural perspective, to reduce stereotyping, to reduce fear of those who are different, to eliminate harassment and hostility against each other in our multicultural cities, states, country; to learn to accept the multicultural melted pot that we have become.

Muse Blues

I can't write today
there's nothing here
my muse has gone
she's disappeared

I fear she's taking
a long trip where
no homework waits
with glassy stare

Until she's back
I'll find no play
I'll have to study
day to day

But she'll return
when school is done
punishing me with
tongueless runs
(sigh)

Easter Trump

Peeves

weeds with thorns
on my bare feet
running outside for a minute

kitchen garbage
overfilled
late for work

overnight dirty dishes
in the sink
wanted coffee

light in the garage
burned out
at night

tv whispering
while I'm trying to sleep
work tomorrow

invisible toys
with sharp corners
waiting on the floor

no dog food left
at midnight
hungry dog

windows burn your fingers
in the middle of summer
living in the desert

forgetting to pay the water bill
it's 4:55 p.m. on shut-off day
beg for mercy

two teens
learning to cook
Hamburger Helper -- again

100 socks
in the clean laundry bag
no matches

four new hairbrushes
pink green blue black
none in the bathroom

lick my dry lips
again
no lip lotion

garbage can in the middle of the yard
full of spring clippings
garbage truck speeds away

soda cans, KFC wrappers, plastic cups
high school lunches over the wall
into my back yard -- grrrr

trampoline 60 pound maximum
two teenaged girls and two teenaged boys
trying to jump the California Pepper Tree

one bike two bike
red bike blue bike
nestled under my rose bushes

but

my family, my friends, my mom
trumps them all

Happy Easter

Lucid Lit Lines -- Write about Thursday and New Year's Next

Thursday's here
Thursday's gone
one after another
all year long

Monday's blue
Tuesday's green
Wednesday's late
Friday's mean
Saturday and Sunday
are just a tease
do what you can
ride on the breeze

but Thursdays ring
the week in right
till Thursday's end
New Year's night

Dance

Dance Death Dance
it's your day
today you choose
today you play

Dance Death Dance
do what you will
and so you reign
all else is nil

Dance Death Dance
'cause it will come
your day will end
you'll set your sun

Life will wake
and you will sleep
Dance Death Dance
Weep Death Weep

Bloggin' through the Blogs

Well, I was surfing through blogs, one of my favorite activities, and found these blogs... and all of them treasures, so enjoy!

The first blog, http://www.mopie.com/blog/books.html is filled with book reviews, tasty
Another is called 'Big Fat Deal' on weight and body image, http://www.bfdblog.com/
the last one is http://www.mopie.com/blog/hot.html 'Warning: Contents May Be Hot'

More Screnzy Blahgs

Okay, so my granddaughter doesn't like the story line. She'll help me out. More to come ...

writers write
and so do I
I write when I'm low
I write when I'm high

I write in my sleep
and when I'm awake
'cause writing makes
writing makes
writing that's
great
(or so I'm told)
(sigh)

Screnzy Blahgs

Script Frenzy (dot org) is like NaNoWriMo's November 30 days to write 50,000 words trial. You have 30 days (the month of April) to write a 100-page script. Sign up, it looks so cool, and it's free!

Okay, so here's my idea for a script. Since this is for TV or the theater (yeah, right, like I'll do that), it has to be mostly dialogue (that's okay) and in one location with scenes that move, I guess. I'll have to do some research. Anyway, here it is:

I have a plot: five characters living in five different cities across the United States, each have a clue to a mystery; there are six clues. They all arrive in one city at the same time, on the same day, and are stuck in the airport waiting for the next flight out, which are all delayed. Once all five clues are realized one of the characters has to locate and activate the last clue. They have six days. They've just arrived in New York City. One character is a man-hunting woman, one character is a woman-hunting man, (they are not attracted to each other), one character is a farmer from Idaho (male), one character is a teenager flying alone for the first time (female) and the last character is a robot disguised as a man (who is being controlled from a nearby-location by an unknown person). They all have a secret. They cannot unlock their clue until they reveal their secret. Their secrets are very personal, and very humorous.

Reading and Writing Blogs

Not blah but bold
they're hot not cold
they're new not nasty
fresh and sassy

new blogs old blogs
fast blogs slow blogs
try them try them you will see
blogs for you and blogs for me
are cool!

http://www.weeklyreader.com/readandwriting/
http://spurious.typepad.com/spurious/
http://www.joshilynjackson.com/mt/

Third Shift

First shift
rolling over
Second shift
crawling
Third shift
walking

First shift
jeans and tee shirts
Second shift
skimpy tops and tight jeans
Third Shift
dresses and heels

First shift
roller skates
Second Shift
two wheeler
Third Shift
four on the floor

First shift
mothering
Second shift
working
Third shift
schooling

side step
shift to the right
back step
shift to the left
front step
turn around
last step
come back home

So
what comes after
the third
shift?

Leap Year

green and blue
hanging in the deepest
black of forever
she turns slowly
langorously
wobbling slightly
she circles her star
and waits another
four years

Witching Hour

the witching hour

dark not sightless
deep not full
dusky not empty
distant and still

night reins her stallions
blowing frost to the sky
they paw at the stars
cold, aloof as they fly

past houses
by shops
through windows
of night
dawn leans toward them
yearning
as they turn into the night

Blather Blog

blather faster
blather slower
blather in between
when blathering in public
begin with a small scream

blather to your neighbors
they'll stare in grave concern
blather to your children
it's something they must learn
blather to the grocer and the
grumpy growly grouch
blather at your honey
when you're sitting on the couch

blather to the woman selling flowers
near the mall
she may not know much English
but blather's international

blather here and
blather there
you really must you know
because a blather's proper
in wind and rain and snow

but blather's not in place
at all
when summer's at its peak
so when the weather's
nice and hot
you know it's time to bleep

Check out this blather page: http://blather.newdream.net/

Why

why do you
glare at me
why do you
stare at me
what in my face
reflects your hate
reflects distrust
you don't know me
or do you

in my face
do you see
the woman
who scorned your father
do you see
the woman
who refused to help
your mother .. sister .. brother ..
do you see
the woman
who could help but didn't
or wouldn't
or couldn't

is that why
your eyes cloud
when they touch mine
so I only have left
to ask
why don't you

Picture Poetry

I look into
a crystal ball
and see the reflection
of my future
who I was
who I will be
who I am

A sliver of moon
a silver of sky
a slice of forever
here in your eyes

Blogging Children

I'm reading a book for a class I'm taking on how children acquire language. The book is "Children's Minds" and I'll review it in my 'book review' blog. But I found a wonderful quote, by Maragaret Donaldson, on page 97. "...we heighten our awareness of what is actual by considering what is possible."

Think about it. When we consider what is possible we are more aware of what is actually going on around us, what is actual, what is reality. Why?

Blog Re-Blog

As Spring nears
my mind revisits
spring

February
the white-gold band
encircles my finger
and my heart

March
the long white gown
decorates the closet
soon will decorate
of my life

September
two become one
and one becomes
three
her smiles encircle
our life

April
tiny daughter
three would be four
but alert brown eyes
flutter and close
back to three

May flowers
our son
winter's end
four at last


How the years
have blessed us
two separate lives
entwine into
two -- three -- and four
drawing the circle
larger
becomes five - six - seven
then six
growing seven - eight - nine - ten - eleven -- to fourteen
fifteen
pushing sixteen and seventeen

we ebb and flow
an ocean of life beginning and ending
until the shore will beckon
and laughing, holding hands
we too will depart
back to one

37 Valentine's Days

You smile at me and turn from the stove,
"one egg or two"
"Two"
"Toast?"
"Uh huh"
"Bacon?"
"Oh, yes, thanks"
I run upstairs
reach behind the suitcase
for the red heart box
Almond Roca
tuck it behind my back
run downstairs to the kitchen
he's at the stove, busy
I reach up, caress his face
with one hand
find his lips, soft, willing, smiling
slide under his arm
hip to hip
hand him my heart
"Happy Valentine's Day"
he smiles
"And to you, your breakfast!"

Dentist Blahg

I hate going to
the dentist
I hate it
I hate it
I hate it

Ow Ow Ow
my tooth hurts
I'll do anything
anything
to make the pain
go away
except maybe go
to the
dentist
(sigh)

Blog Dreams

Hmmm, write my morning.

My dream controlsmy sleep,
an action movie in black and white, cowboys
I'm an Indianthis can't be good.

like unannounced visitors
like my granddaugterpeering into my face

"are you awake" she whispers
"whhhhuut?"
"can you drive me to the bus stop?"
"Huh??"
"I'm going to miss the bus" louder "can you...."
"Uh huh, I'm asleep."
"Oh, I'll ask poppy ... he's awake"
"Yeah, good."

a second movie begins
I'm on a cruise ship, oh no, it's the Titanic, and....
"Are you awake? You wanted me to wake you up.It's 7:30"
my daughter states, hands on hips and
then disappears.
"Is there coffee?" a silent room

a third movie starts
no Titanic thanks goodnes
oh no, I'm on a pirate ship
there's a plank, they're not getting better ...

"Hey, hey, hey" voice escalates from downstairs
"Do you want eggs?
Hey, it's 9:30,
don't you have to go to work today?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah" I mutter
"Two, no one egg. Is there coffee?"

my feet hit the floor
we'll see if the day is better
than my dreams ...
hope so

why won't you read my blog
it sits upon a log
in forest deep
it never sleeps
it's waiting for

why won't you visit here
sit for minutes in a year
you'll capture then
my web of fin
you'll never know
the time will slow
you'll pause and turn
a million fern
my words will
draw you in

where are you blogging readers
who blog there near and far
and never rest
but never test
my blogging mind's torpor

my blogging's here for me
it fills my eternity
but for you too
oh if but you knew
you'd linger here
a moment's year
but all in vain
life's just a game
my blog will fade
into the haze
until my weary
fingers pause
and turn into
a thousand clause
no waking prince
can claim

Syntax

curls deliciously
stretching langourous limbs
reaching hintering heights
drawing dangerous breaths
into the
night

Words

fill the deep rich earth
of my mind
seep into the warm
fertile depths
of my thoughts

pushing roughly
forcing roots
and rocks away from sleep
shooting up into the night
where stars begin their deep
warm sleep

a tintacle of teradyme
a smudgen then a smack
a careful crawful connodyne
that never bothers facts

a trace of tacit tracking
a billowing of brack
a scintillating scarfing solt
that wants a little snack

it snakes its way
through synapse and shoot
through root and fairy air
waking all that stands against
its path every which where

shouting scolding stating stolding
till fingers find its way
and rune wrist writing lays it down
until it goes away

Sleepless

Sleepless muse
pour your music
into my ear
softly whispering

music that
no one can hear
teasing wistfully

dropping nouns then verbs then more
at my sudden waking door
will I arise now as they call
or only watch them as they fall
quietly
blissfully
melting disappearing
evaporating
onto my sleeping
floor

Sleepless Bloggings

Red leaves
beckon me down another
down another road
red leaves
call me down sleepy
forest sleepy forest
read

I know it's not the way
that you would have it be
I know it's not the right way
but it will do for me

red leaves calling me
calling me back home
red leaves calling me
say it's time to go

if I could turn and walk back now
how would I know what you say
could ever really be becasue
I know why
I know why
I know why
you want me to stay

but red leaves calling me
as your eyes follow me
pulling me walling me
as red leaves calling me
then and now and back
back home

Lyrical Blogs

What is it about lyrics that makes it so hard to write them. I write poetry, poetry is lyrical, and yet, poems are not lyrics. So here it they are, at 1:30 a.m., out of a dead sleep. Good thing I leave my computer in my bedroom on all the time huh?:

If you wanted me
then I would know
and I would never
let you go
but since I don't know
I'll go

If you asked me
if you could stay
then I would never
go away
but since I don't know
I'll go

You see how hard it is
to stay or go
today
If you just could
give me a sign
then then at last I'd know


and then
I could finally
go



walking
talking's
not enough
any more

if you can't tell me
what I need
to know
I'm sure

you say you want me
you say you need me
you say it all this way
you turn your head
and smile at me
but that's not all you say
you say
I'm sure
today


crossing lines you're crossing lines
you're crossing every day
crossing lines you're crossing lines
taking me away

from those I love
from those I need
from what I know inside

it's you I love
it's you I need
a love I cannot hide

I'll cross that line that line of yours
I'll cross it 'cause I know
that if I walk away today
you'll never really go
never ever ever
really go
away



if
you said you wanted me
my life would
never be the same

if
you said you needed me
the sun would rise
and I'd never feel the pain

of you leaving
of you turning
and walking away today
of you wanting
of you needing
and saying once again
that you don't want me
you don't need me

if
you said you'd make me yours
my life would change
and so would yours
if


muscle muscle muscle muscle
four pack six pack more
muscle muscle muscle muscle
just makes me want you more

see it flexing
moves my hips
see it ripple
tips my lips

turn your head you see me stare
tugs my beating banging heart
looking up down anywhere to
not to look
to not to see
to not to want
you it's not me

muscle muscle muscle muscle
it's all mine to have
mucsle muscle muscle muscle
day or night or midnight snack
now it's mine to have forever
rippling just for me to look
muscle muscle last forever
oh but wait
no now I love

iq iq iq iq

Blogging Teens

I'm the master of disaster
she's the mistress of distress
when I'm tryin to run faster
she's just stirrin' up a mess

I met her on a Monday
Tuesday she hit my car
Wednesday came we stayed out late
I think we'd gone too far
By Friday she was pregnant
and she said that it was mine
but Sunday came, it's just the flu
and I am bustin' rhymes

Janice called me Tuesday
her best friend in all the world
she offered me her body, a haircut and a curl
Mary called me Wednesday
her best buddy in the state
she dropped by after work and stayed
way way way too late
Her next door neighbor Jason
called me up to go for drinks
I knew I was in trouble
when he showed up with a wink

I'm the master of my disaster
she's the mistress of my stress
when I slowed down some to catch her
I got in an awful mess

Now I'm sittin' here in County
Jason's sitting by my side
'cause she looked like she was 20
16 took me for a ride

DMV revoked my license
the judge revoked my bail
she promises she'll wait for me
three times a week, e-mail

But you see life sure is funny
and I got in the last laugh
my jail bait's now my honey
we got hitched my stress is past

I'm the master of her disaster
she's the mistress of my stress
I now give her all my money
when she's happy life's the best

CAT Blogging

This is a poem I wrote for the Citizens Area Transit Poetry Contest

Moving quickly space to space
and time to time again
rippling past the windows
of existence now to then
landscapes shift and turning
between the lines of time
here and there and everywhere
the trip is so sublime
until the space shifts back in place
mine again to shift apace

Blogging into the New Year

Well, it's February, finally. School has been back in session for a few weeks, the weather is still cold and now rainy. The mountains are white, but if you go up there they're icy, not as much fun sledding. Anyway, we're in full swing, kind of.

I posted a new poem, but posted it on my other blog instead of this one, my reading journal. My granddaughter helped me write it. She gave me the first two lines:
I'm the master of disaster
you're the mistress of distress

and I was off and running. Unfortunately I was bowling at the time, unfortunate for my bowling team that is. I can't write and do anything else well at the same time, and when I start writing, well, it's not over until it's over, and it took about 30 minutes. But it's cute and she likes it so I guess it was worth it.

I was bowling for UNLV's Men's B Team. It was fun but exhausting too. Now that it's over I can lay back and just bowl three nights a work, go to school full time nad work part-time. Wow, vacation time is here.

New Year Blahgs

anticipation of the
season
departs
leaving ghosts of
wrapping paper
flitting through the naked
branches of the
erstwhile
Christmas tree
her lying in
now imminent
gestating in the flames of
the new year's
bonfire

bills now due
stuffed in
mortuary bags
companions to
unread
Christmas cards
the temporary residence
of gift cards
raped, discarded
gone


Moses called today
well
Moises called
phonetically
the same
centuries
of difference
leaving the remains
confusing