A 7th Grade Memory

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A 7th Grade Memory

I went to an evangelical Christian school grades 7-9.

My 7th grade English teacher, Miss M, was commenting on some poem or other and asked rhetorically if God lived in outer space.

My resounding "noooooo" must have risen above all the other "no's" rising from the class, for she looked at me directly and said, "Mr Oddbody, did you know that astronaut So-and-So met Jesus on his Apollo mission?"

Oh boy. She played the trump card. She used "Jesus" in her rebuttal.

I tried to explain that my "no" meant that God obviously didn't "live" anywhere in particular, but it was too late, I could tell by the dismissive stares of my fellow 7th graders that I had lost that one, and so I stared at my desk, upon which I imagined myself repeatedly banging my head, dummy dummy dummy...

[2012-10-17]

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Dislike Button

I wish you could unlike something on Facebook without liking it first, sort of a thumbs down option.

[2012-10-09]

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So Much Depends upon a Red Wheel Barrow

I saw this poem at my neighborhood post office. It had been scribbled down on a piece of paper and slipped under the protective glass at the counter.

so much depends
upon
a red wheel
barrow
glazed with rain
water
beside the white
chickens.

The poem is by William Carlos Williams. It is so delicate and small, like a little filigreed locket. Learn more about the poem here > .  It reminded me of Robert Frost, whom I regret never learning to appreciate as much as I should.

[2012-10-13]

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