Preschool

In awe of being formed by this moment 

Tiny fingers tug up fabric 

Mid sentence to cover his nose

And in another room a 25 month old 

wanders talking to himself

Want the pandemic to be over

Going to the grocery store

When the pandemic is over 

he said she said

whiteness is the rule that constantly changes and contradicts itself to benefit and protect whiteness
she said
working remotely is a blessing because this is the first year that a white colleague hasn't said something racist to me
she said
a student accused of stealing and it's "because i'm black"
he said

white teachers' emotions are not for me to take on

she said

go get your people

they said

you'll make mistakes along the way

he said

it's an ongoing process 

he said
this is anti-racism

she said

so let's do the work

we said

React or Die

Sitting with an idea it's a choice, I'm not that excited
to be shocked out of my routine. Was I meant to be
shocked if not what was the point, pushed and pulled,
I said to Allison I'm clearly not a dominating force
I don't want to be punted out the room and grabbed
back in again it's not my speed none of it is, my life
in media, files shuffling about banged in the knee
by drawers, my age and I, either, ask not for 
respect but I avoid the things that misunderstand
me, time is precious, if I could get out the front
door fifteen minutes before the fourteen after I 
said I would I'd manifest as if time is precious,
I'd be backed away from, dripping in nothing 
missing in my life unless I said it was.