Steph and Tam flew to North Carolina on May first. Sarah flew in that night and I drove down, picked her up at the airport and took her to Kim's. The five of us were together for a whole week! What a dream. It was more fun than I have had in my lifetime! I was grateful they all willingly came up to DC for three days as well. Kim and I live in the Garden of Eden states and we enjoyed the trees and flowers especially. Here we are all together in my newly arranged Towanda living room!

Coffee House Poetry Night

I love Mrs. Markon! Jonny's Fifth Grade teacher is an amazing woman who had mentored her class with so much love, enthusiasm, inspiration and brilliance that it is a phenomenal place for the students there. They have all thrived under her tutelage and she believes so much in the kids that their lives are empowered. Jonny has become quite the writer this year as was evidenced last night at the class coffee house/poetry reading. One boy strummed the guitar and another beat bongo drums for emphasis during the readings. Each kid had on a groovy black coffee house t-shirt and a black beret. They all read a poem they had written about themselves and several kids read an additional poem they had written. The audience was only allowed to snap in keeping with the cool atmosphere and we were encouraged to have our tissues ready! It was a wonderful evening. Here are Jonny's poems:

I Am Jonny

I am dreaming and imaginative.

I wonder what the world holds from us.

I hear the sound of battle.

I hear explosions.

I want to become one with my imagination.

I am dreaming and imaginative.

I pretend I am a dragon.

I feel calm.

I touch an array of objects.

I worry for the environent.

I cry for peace.

I am dreaming and imaginative.

I understand not, why we have war.

I say things.

I dream wonders.

I try to write this.

I hope for the second coming.

I am dreaming and imaginative.

on the lighter side.....

The Origin of Turdzilla

An Epic

By Jonny Liechty

Once Godzilla the evil one

Had a lunch of sticky buns
And made a turd

Without a word.

The city dump

Made the jump

With some toxic waste

And radioactive paste

Turdzilla grew

Made out of pooh.

He sought material waste

To fill his hungry face

And wandered off

To parts unknown

Without a trace or a

Single bone.

And that is why

No babies cry

Because of Turdzilla

Son of the evil one.

Rather Silversteinish eh?