I’d owe $50K more in school loans but only make $10K more annually — I’ve been rethinking the value of the four year bachelor’s degree in our current economy. I’m not alone — families wonder if the cost of a four year degree is worth it. It saddens me that my liberal arts experience would be out of reach for me today. Well, okay. …

A freestyle poem: Ashley’s Story — My plate is full. My belly empty. Punchin’ in tappin’ out again and again. Same old dude tellin’ me just get a degree then you’ll be free. Same old dude ain’t got no clue. Won’t raise my pay. So I waste away cleanin’ up his mess so he can play a violin with…

A senryu inspired by my husband and son — Paper shields my face. Forty-two eyes wait for me to talk about sharks. Two experiences inspired this poem. One filled me with joy, the other with anger. Joy My son delivered his first speech last year. He studied sharks and shared interesting facts about them with his 2nd grade class. He…

An impromptu gender conversation with my 7-year-old son — Recently, a new commercial popped up during my kids’ favorite Nickelodeon shows. The ad stars an actor with a mix of masculine and feminine features and I’ve wondered if she was a transgender woman. Hmm…that’s cool. As if reading my mind, my son asks, “Is she a boy or girl?” …