President* Trump, Yesterday morning when I set out on my walk I didn’t have anything specific in mind to write to you about. I figured something would occur to me in my perusal of the news or in reaction to the day’s poem (which, by the way was incredible and can be read here: https://poets.org/poem/five-horses-doctor-ramon-emeterio-betances?mc_cid=2d4fec3e74&mc_eid=03fcdf422b). … Continue reading The ends and the means
Safety Nets
This time
President* Trump, I picked the first little handful of raspberries from our bushes this morning. Some went into my yogurt bowl and some were a surprise for Laura. It was a nice antidote to what was a pretty rough night filled with bad dreams, restlessness, and a trip outside with Old Lizzie. Then, on my … Continue reading This time
She ripped him four new ones ~ for us
Dear President Trump, One of the most important lessons I learned from my political essay teacher last year is that it’s perfectly legitimate to create work that supports one’s own constituency rather than always trying to speak to everyone or attempting to sway those who don’t agree with us. Along these lines, I’ve been thinking … Continue reading She ripped him four new ones ~ for us
Pink flower boy
Dear President Trump, It’s been a really hard day. One positive thing about it, though, is that the reasons for its hardness have absolutely nothing to do with you. For a change. About six weeks ago we were invited to an annual walk around the medium sized lake near us to celebrate the life of … Continue reading Pink flower boy
Beloved
Dear President Trump, Today was a churchy sort of day starting with soul choir practice at 9. We’re working on a beautiful song called “MLK” and the last few lines have been playing on repeat in my head for two weeks now, mostly just because of how they sound. I don’t really understand the significance … Continue reading Beloved
Happy New Year
Dear President Trump, I think you’d probably count me among ‘the haters’ that you so generously wished a Happy New Year this morning, so thank you (I guess) – it’s a smidge better than telling us to ‘eat shit and die,’ which really was the very clear subtext. Last year I told you that I … Continue reading Happy New Year
It’s hard to study if you don’t have enough to eat
Dear President Trump, I read this morning that about 36% of university students in the US deal with food insecurity and close to that proportion cope with unstable housing. Given the secrecy and shame around not having enough and not appearing to be ok, the numbers are probably underestimating the real extent of these problems. … Continue reading It’s hard to study if you don’t have enough to eat
We won’t be unseen or unheard
Dear President Trump, Your top dollar Mar-a-lago New Year’s Eve party is probably starting to hop about now. Are you donating the entrance fee to charity? How about donating to an anti-bullying campaign to support Melania’s chosen cause? If you were to make a strong gesture in the direction of stopping bullying, it would be … Continue reading We won’t be unseen or unheard
Cue the sycophants!
Dear President Trump, I almost typed “Dear President Rump.” Fitting. There are some other choice words that rhyme with trump like lump, dump, and crump, which means to explode heavily, and slump. I know, there’s bump as well and I suppose that fits in a way too. Maybe others are too grown up to go … Continue reading Cue the sycophants!
You all are being gifted hugely by the rest of us
Dear President Trump, Does it feel like it’s almost Christmas to you? I see the lights and trees and there are more cookies at work than usual, but I’m just not feeling it this year. I don’t want more stuff and I don’t want to be a party to more stuff. And when I think … Continue reading You all are being gifted hugely by the rest of us