1. It was a long day and we talked about the DREAM ACT and 22 of the 25 students raised their hands when asked who had been directly affected by immigration or citizenship-related issues. Students talked about what it feels like to be called an illegal. I asked who had been old enough to vote in the last presidential election and three people raised their hands. When asked who would be voting in the next election a few more said yes and the rest looked at me and I said

“What about you all?”

They almost shook their heads and looked flatly at me.  

“We’re not allowed.”

I failed my students in a white hot moment of blind tongue clicks and yellow teeth. 

2. A slow train of adjusting our reflections in muted silver.

3. Walking out the revolving door of Chambers Street onto a concrete plateau. A skyline constructed in three blocks. The bodies hanging steel and iron like fabric on a bodice of blue air. Recite a prayer of light or maybe it’s just the wind and walk east.

4. Listen to the Sun in My Mouth. 

5. At the stairs of the 2/3 I see Shanique from MW 5:25 and she smiles broadly and half jumps off the ground when saying hello at 15 feet. 

“Good to see you out in the real world.”

We laugh and wave and go our separate ways and I’m halfway home before I let the failures of the day go but went they did and now they’re back so it’s never too late to start all over, to try again.