Friday, November 06, 2020

YOUR VOICE * YOUR VOTE

by Jen Schneider




I.
Our Vote Is Our Voice. Why Can I Not Hear It?

 

Question 1. 

If my ballot is complete yet not received, do I still count? 

 

Question 2. 

Which of the following words is least like the others? Most?

A.    Vision

B.    Victory

C.    Voice

D.    Vacuum

 

Question 3. 

If I speak yet no one hears, does my voice matter?

 

Question 4. 

Which of the following words is least like the others? most?

A.    Count

B.    Calculate

C.    Curate

D.    Collect

 

Question 5

Which color is least like the others? most?

A.    Blue

B.    Red

C.    Purple

D.    Green

 

Question 6

What percentage of inmates in county jail are innocent of all charges?

What percentage of inmates in county jail are allowed to vote?

What percentage ultimately plead guilty, despite innocence?

What percentage ultimately fail to vote, despite eligibility and desire?

 

Question 7

Define fundamental.

Define right. 

 

Question 8

When Election Day bleeds and blends with the days that follow, does the notion of a 24-hour day persist?

 

Question 9

Define day.

Define vote.

Define right.

 

Question 10

If I lose an absentee ballot, am I too absent?

 

Question 11

Which word doesn’t belong?

A.    Left

B.    Right

C.    Wrong

D.    Accurate

 

Question 12

Which word doesn’t belong?

A.    Territory

B.    Prison

C.    Jail

D.    Shelter

E.    Cell

 

Question 13

How do the following terms differ in meaning?

A.    Suppress

B.    Oppress

C.    Repress

D.    Regress

 

Question 14

If I look like a different person on each of my 3 forms of ID, who am I?

 

Question 15

What word would you add to this list? Why?

A.    Patient

B.    Patience

C.    Poll

D.    Pure

E.    Pacify

 

Question 16

Define Hope. 

Define Crossroads.

How are the two concepts similar?

How are the two concepts different?

 

II.

Where Crossroads Meets Paths Forward


A Crossroads

1.     The color of fear

2.     A bitter flavor, seasoning, and word. Three words. 

3.     A sound that comes from the sky

4.     A sound that comes from the ground

5.     The word for when fear, anger, disbelief, and disillusionment meet 

6.     The word for where fear, anger, disbelief, and disillusionment meet

7.     A favorite hobby

8.     Adjectives that describe your worst qualities - three

 

A Path Forward

1.     The color of a favorite garment

2.     Lyrics from a beloved song. Three words.

3.     Another word for cry

4.     A sound that describes sadness

5.     The word for when hope, empathy, and understanding, and compassion meet

6.     The word for where hope, empathy, and understanding, and compassion meet

7.     A bemoaned chore

8.     Adjectives that describe your best qualities - three

 

Hope

Hope is the color of _1__, the flavor of _2__, and the sound of ___3___ 

and __4__. Hope is ___5__, __6__, and __7__. 

Hope is ___8___.  Hope is everywhere. Choose Hope.


Jen Schneider is an educator, attorney, and writer. She lives, writes, and works in small spaces throughout Philadelphia. Her work appears in The Popular Culture Studies Journal, unstamatic, Zingara Poetry Review, Streetlight Magazine, Chaleur Magazine, LSE Review of Books, and other literary and scholarly journals.