“Life’s Students”

poetry

I’m sleep-dreaming about cosmic dust
and about learning and about beings.
One stands by and the space I claim
honors them just the same as it allows
my occupancy. Their hat shields
the back of their neck and not
the sun from their eyes. I think
to be prideful at the soft shade
created for my eyes by the hat
protecting my face from the rays but
I breathe in stardust and wonder,

are their desires not the purest;
what are eyes without a neck
to lift them to greet the world?

One walks by and her skin’s shimmer
glows of a different lineage
from mine. Her tongue does not tell
the same myths and knowings of my
inheritance. I think to see
myself as favored but I see on
her face a crescent smile like
an awakening planet and am
opened to amazement,

knower of all there is to know yet she
finds no fault in braving our shared
elements and our same atmosphere.

I build a table and it is sturdy and
holds many dinners and banquets. I marvel
at my handiwork and think myself
genius, then one comes and he crafts my
table into watering cans to quench the
earth and into seed troughs to feed
animals. A breeze sprinkles its cosmic
dust onto my ears. I hear the many creatures
of the galaxies, full with feasting, speak
and their energy puts me in awe,

a provider who nourishes the soul, see
how he banishes a type of hunger that a
tableful of delicacies cannot conquer.

I’m awake in a flow of cosmic dust
and of learning and of beings, and they
are here and I am here and we are stirring.
They are floating around as students
but maybe not in the way of writing a thesis
or speaking in academic jargon so esoteric
the best theorists cannot decipher any of it.
No one pretends to have memorized all
the books and equations, instead each
is a scholar of the secrets of the world
and adorned to match.
They wear a t-shirt as their gown.
She wears a scarf and it is a stole.
His backward baseball cap
will be called a mortarboard.
Let the necklace be an honor cord.
Let the heart be a medallion, shining
with all the promise no school or book
can grant. Their diplomas and credentials
are their minds and deeds, determined
to be one with the universe that poured
its stardust into them when
they first took life’s breath.

***
Dedicated to these, my favorites of life’s students (and to all the ones I am yet to encounter):

• Juliah, Lenah, Micah, Noelah, Sarah
• Eliaz, Enyonam, Esi, Foster, Godsway, Maija, Makafui, Matilda, Mawunya, Serdem, Vilmer, Yayira Aga.
• Morkporkpor
• Desmond, Kweku, Miriam, Raph, Rose, Samuel, Prince, 5BN Basic School crew 2001–2007
• Erkow, Sedi, Yayira Agb.
• Alan, Anna, Cassie, Paula, Reagan, Savannah D., Walker
• Ethan, Ricky, Taylor, Travis
• Bianca, Nicole, Zelda
• Caleb, Elijah H., Emily Ha., Isaiah L.
• Joe, Steadman, Wilson, CovYoGro 2008–2012
• Alex A., Ellyn, Lindsey, Maddie, Matthew A., Randle, Sara F.
• Courtney C., Jesse
• Brittany Z., Jay, Khidr, Nathen, Roman, Ryan+Gavin, Sara J., Timmy, Tony N.
• Michael+Shawn, Suzanne
• Bree, HVHS Track and Field 2011+2012
• Gabe
• Alyssa L., Ashley S. (Chicago/Radford Ashley), Chad, Emily S., Jamous, Joseph, Julia, Kaleb, Kyrsten+Savannah M., Laura, Melly, Myles, Nikki, Patrick, Sean, Spencer, Stephen B., William, Canterbury House+UKirk RU+The Shelter crews 2014–2020
• Brandon M., Briana, Chris, Ezgi, Jeffery, Libby Sh., Matt, Moriah, Shiza, Tegan, Tess
• Phill
• Alyssa A., Andrea, Brittany B., Edna, Geoff, Gina, Jordan L., Maggie
• Courtney S., Katie D., Katie S., Kenzie
• Desiree
• Jacob
• Elikplim
• Brandon K., Danielle
• Rachel S., Tori
• Amy W., Bekah, Erica, Jordan C., Kara, Leah, Libby Sc., Olivia, Rachel B., RU COSD class of 2018 graduates crew
• Clint, Brittany F., Steven C.
• Amy R., Dalton, Daniel, Elise, Heather W., Jarrod, Kayla, Kendra, Sarah L., Sebastian
• Cody, Nick
• Ashley S. (Kingsport Ashley), Blaine, Blakely, Emily Hu., Isaiah C., Matthew D., Matthew P., Shane
• Allie, Summer, Grace, Savannah R.
• Chastity, Heather F.
• Scott
• Evans, Oliver, Renaud, Steph B. F., Thursday Night Poetry Jam crew 2020–2022
• Chioma
• Gavs, Henry, Naphlim
• Crispin, Rufus, Afrique Soccer crew 2020–2022
• Ayanna
• Bryan, Cayden, Clinton, Darrion, Ed, Robert, Sage
• Adam, Bear, Carlton, Caroline, Femi, Izu, Jaxon, Jenny, Mae, Sam M., Stephen K., Will, Chapel of the Incarnation/EpiscoGators 2020–2022
• Aubrey, Jim, Sherwin, Steven R., Vivek
• Elijah A., Eric, Josh, Kendi, Sam A., Tobi, Tony G., Triza
• Chelsea, Craig, Kim, Sara H., Tammy C., Yvelaine
• Alex V., Angie, Brandon P., Ciobha, Christian, Courtney W., Davis, Faris, Hannah, Holly, Ian, Janelle, Jess, Jio, Katie K., Kaylee, Lindsay, Maddie, Meagan, Sav, Steph G., Tevin, Tracy, Vivian, Yoko
• Allie Ph., Ashley G., Brandon B., Brenda, Chloe, Dee, Erika, KJ, Kookie, Monique, Natalie, Shawna, Tammy O.
• Drew, Emily L.

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Originally published in Washed Over…Or, Things Dedicated