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Once monthly, the New York City Writing Project celebrates the teacher-as-writer by publishing works of poetry and prose written by its teachers. If you are interested in submitting your work to NYCWP Voices, please read the submissions guidelines and submit your work by email to voices@nycwritingproject.org.
Trees
-JoAnna Bueckert-Chan
Lightning strikes trees because they reach to the sky.
When this occurs,
sap boils
gas expands
timber explodes.
When a tree is struck by lightning,
the current
dismembers it
chars it and cracks it
trunks splinter and split.
This tree
suffers.
It may succumb
to the electric charges & ions
swirling in thunderclouds
of storms above.
But sometimes,
If the tree was well mulched, watered, fertilized, trimmed
from before the clouds began to loom,
It can seal off wounds
endure damage
hold the earth
and though scarred
grasp upward
still
and again.
JoANNA BUECKERT-CHAN began her teaching career in Mexico City where she taught English to adult learners and then became a language institute Branch Director. Upon returning to her home state of California, she worked in the Bay Area as a high school English teacher with the Puente Project at Tennyson High School, where, among other initiatives, she restarted the journalism program and school newspaper. When she relocated to New York City, she was fortunate to find her footing at Landmark High School, a member of The New York Performance Standards Consortium. While at Landmark High School, JoAnna taught English classes and a host of other courses including advisory, poetry, urban hiking and rock climbing. Currently, JoAnna works as a NYC Writing Project on-site teacher consultant and her passion lies in helping schools and teachers use writing in authentic ways that help students see the power of their own voices and minds.
