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ROUND ABOUT

LESSONS OUTSIDE

THE SEARCH

AN INVISIBLE LINE

STEP OVER

HEALTHY REMINDERS

FOOTSTEPS

healthy reminders

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPRING 2006

HEALTHY REMINDERS : JOT writers on individual and community health.

This issue of JOT features:

-Photography by Patricia Evans
-Introduction by Dr. Geraldine Gorman
-
Writing from over 50 JOT writers

Read work from the magazine! For more information on how to receive a copy of the magazine for $10 or to receive a year of JOT for $25, please call the NWA office at (773) 684-2742.

THE DUST
Jean M. Swanagan

I am concerned about the dust
That settles in the hallway and
Lands on the banisters that go
Up and down the stairs.

The building appears to be abandoned
But, surely someone is living there
People are living behind the condo walls

Footprints are on the rug trailing to a door
When the door is opened
The dust comes right in

I am concerned about the very air I
Breath and take into my lungs

Microscopic particles full of germs
Floating al around landing
Everywhere, now they're on me

I am afraid of getting sick or perhaps
I might even die from all the allergies and
Hacking coughs and all the sneezing
Secretly taking over my very existence
Soon will be no more...

Covered in dust and spider webs the
Silent killer could have been prevented
It has now taken the place of secondhand smoke

UNTITLED
Gale Occomy


Kitchens and babies
Teakettle brathing life in the morning
The same dog barking in the movies
His residuals must be in the millions
Fresh cut smell of a grass blade
Slanted roof shedding its wet overcoat
Dalmatian-coated compostion journal
Made in India
In a sea of strangers
Am I afraid to laugh out loud?
My ideal state of mind
Harmony

UN NUEVO AMANECER
Esthela Giron


Yo pienso que la salud es algo muy
importante. Cuando las personas
están enfermas en su ánimo y su
carácter, se refleja el cómo se sien-
ten-Ias cosas que no quieren hacer
por falta de entusiasmo. Cuando uno
está enfermo, todo a su alrededor se
ye triste. Es como si el día sintiera
nuestro malestar. Pero, no es el día el
que está triste, sino la persona enferma.
Por eso, la salud es muy importante.
Te da el poder de yer que hay
un nueyo amanecer cada manana.

A NEW DAWN
Esthela Giron


I think that health is very important.
When people are sick it shows in
their character and motivation-their
lack of enthusiasm to do things.
When you're sick, everything around
you seems sad. It's as if the day felt
our discomfort. But, it's not the day
that's sad; it's the person who is sick.
That's why health is very important.
It gives you the ability to see that
there's a new dawn every morning.

© 2004 Neighborhood Writing Alliance