Young Woman

I stand,

as a witness for the Man

who died.

He hung upon a cross

on the Hill of Calvary.

He suffered,

He bled

For you –

For me.

Because of Him,

I can return.

For Him

I will stand

at all times,

in all things,

in all places.

I am a daughter

of the almighty Father.

He showed His love

through His Son,

my Brother.

I WILL stand

for truth,

for righteousness.

As a witness

of His love

I stand.

by Karen Dewey

5/21/02

Sleepless Nights

Eating right before bedtime

Random conversations with my brother

Too much homework

A great book

Worrying about basketball and soccer

Enough energy to propel me to the moon and back

So tired, even sleep is a burden

A new idea

A loved one in the hospital

Slumber parties that never slumber

Scary movies

Parents telling me to go to sleep, so I stay up longer

Not enough blankets on a cold night

Hot nights where I can’t get air to breathe

A headache, a tummy ache

Drinking too much water

A sore arm throbbing until a late night icing brings relief

Sleeping on the trampoline

New Year’s Eve

Cats at the window wanting in

By Karen Dewey

5/21/02

Real World

I sit at my desk

Listless eyes glazed over from Expo fumes.

Is this my life?

Droning teachers with their lame jokes and dull lectures?

The reality is

SAY WHAT?

Is this their life?

Obnoxious teens

So full of themselves

Nobody else fits

Is this wrong? That can’t be wrong!

That can’t be right! Is this right?

That is NOT fair!

Welcome to life

I’m slammed back in my chair.

Life’s definitely not fair!

Nobody said life’s fair

Is this what the “real world” is like?

Squirming teens

Pretending to listen

What I hear each day in school –

blah blah blah blah

            Karen, stop reading!

                        blah blah blah blah

                                    You need to pay attention, Karen.

                                                blah blah blah blah

                                                            What did I just say, Ms. Dewey?

Do I really wanna answer that?

By Karen Dewey

5/21/02

Math

A chore.

A bore.

It eats my soul.

It beats my brain with a bowl.

Ow!

No pain.

No gain.

The work breaks my back

There is no slack

Aha!

It clicks!

Now I can go to the flicks!

by Karen Dewey

4/10/00

Dedicated to Mr Lehosit, my 8th grade math teacher

First Priority

Not quite obtunded,

I lie in bed.

Voices swirl, commands are shouted.

I move only to appease

My body betrays my heart.

I'm choking

Stridor ringing in the room.

Air won't enter my lungs.

My eyes beg, please

Sedate and paralyze, then intubate me

Pale, mottled, pulseless peripherally

An internal bleed saps my strength

Unnoticed, unmentioned

Clots form, just keeping me intact

Fear racks my body, shivers up my spine, whispers in my mind.

In any of life's traumas

The first priority -

Treat the greatest threat.

By Karen Dewey

12/3/14