“Imagination can . . . arrange for parallel lines to meet in secret.” –Shelley Jackson, on Italo Calvino
Once upon a time, there were two parallel lines, and they couldn’t stop looking at one another.
My lord. Such beauty, each thought. Who would have believed, in all the world, that such perfection existed? If only. . . .
And so they went on, each longing.
So close, yet so far away.
Perhaps, one said, there is a certain purity in this. Holding the line.
F that, said the other.
Yeah, came the reply. F that.
I know, for I ran across them both. I found one shy and acute, the other bold and obtuse. But they were just right for each other.
It’s good, at least, to have you by my side, said one.
Yes, said the other, and sighed. Perhaps we could meet in secret?
No, damn him.
Damn who?
Euclid, the other expostulated.
You contain infinities within infinities, said the first.
You, too, said the other. You are my horizon. Aside from you lies only the abyss.
That is very beautiful. And true, said the first.
Yes, said the other. It is. But I’m not sure that the intensifier is necessary when talking of essential characteristics or archetypes.
On and on they went like this. . . . until, until,
Their longing warped space itself. Or perhaps it was one of the gods, taking pity, crumpling space and time.
And they lived happily ever after.
Copyright 2021. All rights reserved. For more poetry by Bob Shepherd (and writing about poets and poetry), go here: https://bobshepherdonline.wordpress.com/category/poetry/
Bob Shepherd | Praxis 
beautiful, Bob. The Einsteinian curvature of space marries plane Geometry. Literally.
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Gee thanks, Roy!
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try adding this up for me.. not sure where to send it..”If the PD needs to continue this parade of Charter School propaganda–fine with me” https://interact.stltoday.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1395658&p=10229541#p10229541
I will have the time and mountain of information to share from highly respected sources such as Diane Ravitch, Jeff Bryant, and Bob Shepherd. Me? My nephew’s wife (Sarah Reckhow) is pretty sharp about the subject of public education, but mostly I am just a nobody. The letter writers are often well informed about that which they brag…even if the PD would just as soon you did not know about that.
Letter: Charter schools, though underfunded, are a good option-Feb 9 and 12th
Letter: Charter schools nurture strong, tight-knit community Feb 11
Letter: Students in every ZIP code deserve a quality education Feb 5
Article: City schools in turmoil: District closes buildings, charters open
Blythe Bernhard Feb 8, 2021
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Did not take me long to challenge a response from somebody who knows everything…..to tell what he knew about F. Gulen. I learned one of Gulen’s schools is attracting lots of parochial students.Which led us into some lessons regarding a management company named concept.
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I think .the pd is on to me…..this one is classified as no longer existing. .Letter: Charter schools nurture strong, tight-knit community…Are charter schools public or private.>.Charter schools are expert in making people not know exactly what they are. ARE CHARTER SCHOOLS PRIVATE SCHOOLS?
Charter schools are a form of public schools. Charter schools are also private schools. However, they are not the kind of private schools one might associate with religious education or an independent institute. Instead, private refers to the entities that manage the charters. A private, for-profit organization provides administrative services to the non-profit charters it sets up. The private organization can make a profit in a variety of ways.
Charter schools are free due to public, taxpayer dollars that are taken from traditional public schools when a child enrolls in the charter school. Unlike a traditional public school, charter schools are also funded by private companies, individuals, and interests. They are managed by a private entity vs a community elected board where the public has input. And their boards are appointed vs elected. This means that charter board members can have a financial interest in the success of the schools.https://wegopublic.com/san-antonio-region-isds/alamo-heights-isd/are-charter-schools-private-schools/ …the most noticable way in which they are private, is the way in which their managements are able to get into scandalous financial entanglements……not easy for real public schools to get into.
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