Jet lag

These photos are from Abu Dhabi and a visit to the Emirates Palace, an astonishing place. Abu Dhabi is the capitol of the UAE and hopes to soon become an international cultural center. The palace is quite posh-

Since arriving back home, I've been spending more time sleeping than writing. I did want to post another collaborative 'found' poem written by one of the classes I was working with. We read the poem 'Famous' by Naomi Shihab Nye and talked about what we would like to be known for. In her poem, Nye talks about how a buttonhole is famous only to the button, the river is famous to the fish, the loud voice is famous to silence.

I would like to famous
like the smile of white jasmine
is to the garden.

Like the first drop of rain
is to the ground
to which it returns life.

To be famous
like a piece of ice
on a hot day
in the middle of the desert.

Like the ball
when it enters the goal,
along with all
the strong cheering.

I would like to be famous
like the long suffering shore
when it is hugged
by the waves.

Famous as the happy hen
when she lays her first egg,
but all her happiness
goes away
when the farmer takes it.

I would like to be famous
to the old man,
as the years he spent
and can't get back.

I would like to be famous
like Dr. Mirrione (he was my host).

Famous like a school uniform
is to the child who puts it on
for the first time.

I would like to be famous
as the spreading horizon
is to the sky.

I would like to be famous
as the naughty daughter
who always makes her parents laugh
and whose smile they miss
when she is sleeping.

Famous
as the sun
after a long darkness.

Collaborative poem
UAEU 2-09

Writing this poem with them, reinforced what an honor it was to be there helping them discover their voices.