Sunday, September 28, 2014

The Telos of Flight

The note reminds me,
"First learn to fly, then fly away."
But see: I've learned and flown quite far.
And now a fearful voice queries,
"Know you how to land?"

Sunday, September 21, 2014

A Fraction of the Whole

I caught myself looking at each of them
with jealousy.
Here I was surrounded by
women of a higher
status.
One might think I have it backward;
shouldn’t the academic
over-rank the domestic?
And yet, I hold my ground:
we were the minority;
the mostly young,
pursuing our own
careers.
Shouldn’t I be proud
of my drive,
of my courage,
of my strength,
of my intellect,
of my self-imposed
hardness?
Gentle voices
and gentle hearts
surrounded me.
Wives and mothers.
Women.
I don’t feel like a woman;
I feel like a brain
with a vagina,
shoving information into my mind
while my soul
cries
in lonely
starvation.
Who am I,
and what am I doing here?
My name is little girl,
and I am utterly lost.

Monday, September 8, 2014

Would You Like to Dip Your Wing in My Glass of Milk?

He said,
"Congratulations,
You are the cream of the crop."
Sometimes 
I believe it of myself.
Certainly
I believe it of Sarah
(With her MDiv from Princeton),
Or of Simon
(With his background in philosophy
And metaphysics).
But me?--
Soured milk.
A fallen angel
Being given a second chance
At a pair of wings.

A flicker of recognition
At the sound of my name. 
What is he thinking,
This programme director of mine?
Will he grant me permission
To hear a bell ring?