POPS' Thoughts

Sleep with half closed eyelids

<< thoughts by POPS at 11:10 AM on Sunday, July 06, 2008 >>
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"Some say it's strange
Sometimes that's how strange life gets"
-Mobb Deep f/ Nas, "It's Mine"
Yesterday, I had it in my mind to write about some reflections I had during a long drive along I-95. It had planned to talk about my thoughts on open communication. Alas, I fell into the usual rut.
"The streets raised me crazy, now I'm immune to it
So when they start shooting, we don't stop the music"
The Fourth of July weekend of 2008. Another bloody weekend in the Bean. Another high school students gunned down. Another cookout gone AWOL. Another young man from Roxbury slayed in front of his crib. I write this in my crib on a lazy Sunday morning as the midget looks over my shoulder and I struggle to contain my worry. Struggle to contain my fear. Struggle to contain my outrage. It is a justifiable outrage; one that could see me straight-up lose my composure. But it is also an outrage that scares even myself. I can see myself saying and doing things that could have their out dangerous results. I that's not something I'm willing to sacrifice just yet. I gotta hold him down. I want a fulfilling family life. I want picket fences and shT. Yet, I want to live in peace. I want to live in Roxbury. I want to embrace the beauty of the Black experience. I want to do my part to make a difference without losing any of the safety or security to which I should be entitled. And I say entitled because it is a right that should be preserved. If only I can preserve my sanity first.

These bullets bear no names
No senders to whom they are addressed
We professed to be upwardly mobile
But these biscuits will burn your flesh
Have your breaths at slackened paces
We are the dark-skinned faces of death
Grim facial features cast doubts over those we reap
Can't you feel the pain seeping through my pores?

According to the papers, the two young men who were recently slain both aspired to be engineers. My NSBE peoples just let out a collective sigh. Keep doing what you do. But if you can do more, please do. We cannot let these n!ggas completely take over. Stay up.

leadership. undefined

<< thoughts by POPS at 11:07 PM on Monday, June 30, 2008 >>
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still whirlwinding through cities....

participated in a discussion from afar on leadership. the talk ranged from what it is, what it can be, how to achieve it, and what it does. well, that's the gist of it. anyways, the boss-boss-boss sent out an end-of-year message to everyone.
As we celebrate the final week of the 2007-2008 school year, on behalf of the Boston School Committee, I want to thank the entire BPS staff for your hard work and dedication to serving and educating the children of this city. Since too often you do not hear frequently enough that you do matter, I do want to pause and let you know that your efforts to make a difference are valued and appreciated in this community.

Every single day, the future of Boston walks through our doors, and every single moment, you listen to their needs. You inspire them to create, achieve, value diversity, be respectful, perform well, and pass tests. You have responded to demands both internally and externally and worked with parents to jointly solve the individual problems that are unique to each student. When materials were in short supply, when an extra set of hands were needed to move tables, set up and take down for the music and arts performances, when a student was homeless or depressed, might have missed the field trip, school pictures or the book fair, you cheerfully stepped forward to fill in the gaps. There are times when you have led, followed, helped build consensus, or been the voice of advocacy for our students. Not everything you have done is measured on MCAS, and yet, you have deeply understood that not some, but all of our children must reach MCAS proficiency and graduate from high school. Some of you have made sure students arrived safe and on time, were well-fed, and received extra help after school. Others have been in the classroom, alongside teachers, providing that extra boost of encouragement and motivation. And still others, working centrally or as partners, have supported those who directly teach our students.

To all, I say many, many thanks for making the difference between mediocrity and excellence, and sometimes, between failure and success. Your work is the most important work in America, and you do matter!!

Truly grateful,
Carol R. Johnson, Superintendent
that is what leadership is, in my opinion. as a matter of fact, she sent handwritten to each of the fourteen students that helped plan the technology conference in May. She even put smiley faces on them. word.

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we are the slave and the master

<< thoughts by POPS at 10:35 AM on Thursday, June 19, 2008 >>
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they say way we n-i-double-g-e-r
we are much more
but still, we choose to ignore the obvious
man, this history don't acknowledge us
we were scholars long before colleges
-Nas, "Be A Nigger Too"

greatest minds

<< thoughts by POPS at 4:44 PM on Friday, June 06, 2008 >>
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she is a great mind
inspired by her mother's eyes
those same eyes that never allowed themselves
to be seen swollen
or welled up with tears

her ears only heard words
of encouragement
from the womb to the pew
beauty salon to school
her black girl pain
comforted with love
she does indeed know her beauty

they are the greatest minds
the drumline of the number 23 bus
marching on from city squares
to college quads
nonchalantly
they trod though snow
and street memorial scenes
and never eva eva eva
let go of their dreams

because i'm a dreamer

i am a great mind
and so are you
albeit far from
the kind to stand in line
and beg for time
until our ears are blind
and eyes become deaf
i am bereft of breath
when there's no hope left
yet, we keeps it moving

hope is my middle name, yo

poise is my sustenance

you can keep on getting by

but we about to make it happen.

word is bond


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