Adjunct American Lit (final revision)
Posted: 23 Apr 2018, 21:38
Final Revision-
I lecture from notes:
the deep southern roots
of Flannery O’Connor,
religious suppression,
unforgivable sin.
Halfway through class
a Nigerian girl,
bold as Grace Jones,
glosses her lips
sign painter’s red,
engages in discussion
and insists that we all
have free will.
I find her attractive,
an unexpected idea
embracing the freedom
to choose for yourself.
Class comes to an end,
I shutdown my laptop,
she scoots between desks,
waves bye with her pinkie.
A Malcom X t-shirt,
she wears as a dress,
clings to her tights.
I greet my fiancé
who waits in the hall.
Properly Catholic she is dressed
in a businesslike pencil-tube skirt,
sips a small cup of coffee,
gone cold in her hand.
2nd Revision-
My achievements, deserving
of a tenure track, only net
one section of American Lit.
Inexperienced
I lecture from notes:
Flannery O’Connor,
religious suppression,
deep southern roots.
A Nigerian, bold as Grace Jones,
lips glossed sign painter’s red,
engages conversation,
asks about Baptist free will.
Class ends too quickly,
she waves with her pinkie.
The gentleman’s shirt
she wears for a dress
clings to her tights.
My fiancé, thin lipped
and properly Catholic,
waits in the hall. She is dressed
in a pencil-tube skirt, holds coffee
that cools her hand.
1st Revision-
Achievements deserving
of a tenure track but I end up
with one section of American Lit
and a job shelving book
in the stacks.
I am nervous
and lecture from notes,
Flannery O’Connor,
religious suppression,
deep southern roots.
A striking Nigerian, bold
as Grace Jones, glosses her lips
in sign painter’s red, is familiar
with Baptist free will
and unafraid
to speak out in class.
I shutdown my laptop
and point to the clock.
Tall and curvaceous
she slides between desks,
wears a long shirt for a dress,
waves a goodbye with her pinkie.
My fiancé, a freckled Irish lass,
waits by the door. She is properly
Catholic, dressed in a businesslike
pencil-tube skirt, has practical pumps
set firm on the ground.
Original-
Her lips, sign painter’s red,
African hair, pulled back
with her fingers then freed
to go wild like Beyoncé.
He lectures from notes,
Flannery O’Connor,
religious suppression
and deep southern roots.
His fiancé waits by the library.
Properly Catholic, she is dressed
in a pencil-tube skirt,
wears practical pumps
set firm on the grass.
He finishes early, closes his laptop.
She turns on her cell,
scoots between desks,
her Malcom X t-shirt
worn as a dress.
I lecture from notes:
the deep southern roots
of Flannery O’Connor,
religious suppression,
unforgivable sin.
Halfway through class
a Nigerian girl,
bold as Grace Jones,
glosses her lips
sign painter’s red,
engages in discussion
and insists that we all
have free will.
I find her attractive,
an unexpected idea
embracing the freedom
to choose for yourself.
Class comes to an end,
I shutdown my laptop,
she scoots between desks,
waves bye with her pinkie.
A Malcom X t-shirt,
she wears as a dress,
clings to her tights.
I greet my fiancé
who waits in the hall.
Properly Catholic she is dressed
in a businesslike pencil-tube skirt,
sips a small cup of coffee,
gone cold in her hand.
2nd Revision-
My achievements, deserving
of a tenure track, only net
one section of American Lit.
Inexperienced
I lecture from notes:
Flannery O’Connor,
religious suppression,
deep southern roots.
A Nigerian, bold as Grace Jones,
lips glossed sign painter’s red,
engages conversation,
asks about Baptist free will.
Class ends too quickly,
she waves with her pinkie.
The gentleman’s shirt
she wears for a dress
clings to her tights.
My fiancé, thin lipped
and properly Catholic,
waits in the hall. She is dressed
in a pencil-tube skirt, holds coffee
that cools her hand.
1st Revision-
Achievements deserving
of a tenure track but I end up
with one section of American Lit
and a job shelving book
in the stacks.
I am nervous
and lecture from notes,
Flannery O’Connor,
religious suppression,
deep southern roots.
A striking Nigerian, bold
as Grace Jones, glosses her lips
in sign painter’s red, is familiar
with Baptist free will
and unafraid
to speak out in class.
I shutdown my laptop
and point to the clock.
Tall and curvaceous
she slides between desks,
wears a long shirt for a dress,
waves a goodbye with her pinkie.
My fiancé, a freckled Irish lass,
waits by the door. She is properly
Catholic, dressed in a businesslike
pencil-tube skirt, has practical pumps
set firm on the ground.
Original-
Her lips, sign painter’s red,
African hair, pulled back
with her fingers then freed
to go wild like Beyoncé.
He lectures from notes,
Flannery O’Connor,
religious suppression
and deep southern roots.
His fiancé waits by the library.
Properly Catholic, she is dressed
in a pencil-tube skirt,
wears practical pumps
set firm on the grass.
He finishes early, closes his laptop.
She turns on her cell,
scoots between desks,
her Malcom X t-shirt
worn as a dress.