Gov. Scott Walker Monday signed so-called right-to-work legislation banning requirements that private-sector workers pay union fees, prompting one business to say it will add workers in Milwaukee and another to say it will expand in Minnesota instead. --Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal-Sentinel, March 9, 2015 |
Earliest morning, the moon a mirror,
the sky that deep, hopeful blue. And for those
few moments all plans are possible.
You feel it--to walk into the world is
to walk into a fairy tale where the king
is a good man who loves the beautiful.
All the old witches grow backward into joy,
straighten up, fly right, drop glittering
educators in Wisconsin schools.
Every child is beautiful, strong, well-nourished:
factory and government jobs pay
a living wage. Police and protesters
carry potato guns. After they face
off, all gather ammo, take it to their
local soup kitchen, cook up a rich
chowder, pass warm bread, talk of family.
Governor Walker goes to Washington,
takes his dislike of the arts with him where,
despite his best efforts, a new WPA
is formed and funded and we learn again
each others stories, paint new portraits
of dignity, sculpt a strong citizenry,
paint with bright colors, polka to a new
American song.
Paula Schulz is a member of the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets, a recent Pushcart nominee and an educator. She is hopeful, blue.