arthur-sheppard
American
Art Sheppard is a life-long educator, author and dynamic motivational speaker who resides in San Jacinto, California. Art, a credentialed teacher has been writing short stories, poetry and Spoken Word pieces for decades. He has published articles in various newspapers and publications. He is a past recipient of the Newspapers in Education Teacher of the Year Award. He conducts dynamic presentations in various schools. He says that a chance meeting and conversation with Dr. Martin L. King Jr., as a teenager changed his life. He also currently participates and been selected as a featured poet in Spoken Word events in Oceanside California. He is a life-long educator who has dedicated his life to educating young people in America. His passion for writing and, “Spoken Word” make his book, “Talking Penny,” particularly relevant and compelling.
And Then There's Us...
We Get up and go to work at first mornings light.
We come home each and every night.
Every day we see our little one's smile
Although for us each day is a trial.
We make sure they learn how to read
Because we know that knowledge is a little seed
That needs to be watered frequently,
If it’s to grow in little heads eventually.
We are careful not to yell and scream
Because it’s easy to shatter our baby’s dream.
We never let them see us do any wrong.
As far as they know, life is a simple song.
Even when we have to hide our own tears
Of broken promises made to us over many years
We smile and tell them everything is going to be all right
Though we lay awake, into the deep of night.
We know evil thoughts fly swifter than birds
So we cover young ears when they hear foul rapper’s words.
Their twisted rhymes teach them to lie, steal and cheat
And we know, as they hear, they will also speak.
We love our kids and always tell them so
And in other ways we always let them know
With kind looks and tender embraces
But at first light we’re gone again without any traces
We start the cycle all over again
We don’t know if it will ever end
But we’re not tied to quick and easy schemes
It takes hard work to achieve our dreams.
Oct 18, 2013
Oct 18, 2013 at 12:49 AM UTC