May Meeting Snapshots

Maintaining Inspiration

The key to maintaining your inspiration
In the day-to-day work of meditation practice
Is to approach it as play-- a happy opportunity
To master practical skills,
To raise questions, experiment, and explore.

-THANISSARO BHIKKHU

Flip Flops

Living on an island 

You think you would own a pair 

of flip-flops for every wear. 

I have seen flip flops so worn down 

That toes were touching the ground. 

I have seen other flip flops so torn 

That you swore they were over worn. 

I have tried to wear a pair of my own flip-flops 

But I felt so unprepared. 

My first pair made my toes so sore that I swear. 

Flip-flops have made me slip and trip. 

That is why I don't wear 

Nor care or dare 
To wear flip flops anywhere!

©bmartinez

My Plate Is Me!

Chagi!  Chagi!

Red rice yan

Sinagang,

Bunelos dagu

Yan Ginataan.

Boka culture

Yan family bonds.

Boka respect

Yan Guahan.

Try!  Try!

Red rice and

Sinagang,

Dagu donuts

And Ginataan.

Consume culture

And family bonds.

Take in respect

And the island of Guam.

Half Chamorro

Half Filipino

And entirely English —

Can’t you see!

Proud of my life!

Proud of my voice!

Proud of my culture!

My plate is me!

©ddamian

My Life as a White Person: Growing Up Inside of Literature

In Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, and Encyclopedia Brown —

I lived as white children that used logic and intelligence

To solve crimes and save the day.

On Guam, I am a normal brown boy

From an island that most people haven’t even heard about.

In the Babysitters Club —

Are you there God?

It’s me, Margaret, and Ameilia Bedelia.

I was white, black, Spanish, Jewish, and even French.

I lived life being a little different

Finding out that it was okay to be 

White, black, Spanish, Jewish, French, and even weird.

On Guam, I am a normal brown boy

From an island that most people haven’t even heard about.

But —

Sometimes I am experiencing the same experiences as everyone else.

But —

I’m from an island.

In the Marvel and DC comics, 

I am white, black, brown, Jewish, Asian, Muslim, Indian, Martian, French, Canadian, Mexican, elven, dwarf, hobbit, and —

Saving the planet from others that would seek to destroy it.

On Guam, I am a normal brown boy 

From an island that most people haven’t even heard about.

I cannot save the planet —

I’m from an island.

In the movies,

On video games,

In TV shows —

I am white, black, Spanish, Mexican, Asian, Indian, alien, elf, dwarf, gnome —

Doing fantastic things

As far as the eye can see —

On Guam, 

I am a normal brown boy 
From an island that most people haven’t even heard about.  

I have chores to do —

But wait!

Look at the islanders showing up in books and movies!

I can finally be in books, TV, and movies

As long as I wear Hawaiian print shirts and shorts or a wrap and be shirtless.

I can finally be Hawaiian or Samoan —

But I’m Chamorro —

I wear t-shirts and jeans.

I guess I just have to wait for someone to write about me.

©janderson

Starfish

Watching the water above me change from blue to gray —

Does anyone care to clean all the beaches and the bays?

I crawl from life to death while all the fish may swim —

Please take care of the coral,

So I don’t lose another limb.

My life as a starfish might be coming to an end —

Please save the coral reefs for you, for me, 

And for all of our friends.

©kquiambao

The Most Beautiful Mango

Goldilocks has nothing on our little brown girls —

Some people pick the ripest mango for its juiciness and sweetness.

Some people pick the younger, green mangos for their sourness and crunchiness.

This little brown girl picks the Holy Grail of mangos called “to’a” in our native tongue.

To’a mangos aren’t ripe or sour —

To’a mangos have the satisfying crunch of youth,

And the hint of sweetness from age.

To’a mangos may seem like the ignored fruit on the branch, 

Because of their lack of constant sunshine or shade.

To’a mangos are discolored and freckled on the outside.

No two are the same.

The golden treasure of perfect balance lies within 

For the little brown girls to unlock.

©psablan-jalique