When summer approaches, adjunct teachers worry about money

i

in the morning boyfriend expresses hope for my success before we

part I know what he means & know that success is thermodynamic

poverty not

it’s all complicated I respond no I don’t say it but act like thanks

honey sure hope for my success too though I’m getting on in age for

dreams in this department

ii

imagine this (or at least consider) I’m Clare of Assisi & I’ve got a little convent

in 1227 so petitioning Greg 9 (pope) for “the one thing that is necessary”:

privilege of a possession-free world

pope’s opposed since such a world is bad for consumer capitalism kidding!

fears empty-bellied women doing good will upset soup carts then there’s Francis

already in Assisi

famed for his hunger games & no help to Clare (me) cannot trust us (me (imagine)

& my convent) thinks we’ll be a drain on the town thinks he’ll feel bullied

because of fairy tale

weakness of women back to old garden version thinks Assissians will feel forced

into giving gals stale heels that might better feed birds Clare persists (yet)

her convent wins freedom

from being forced to accept possessions which is so fab for me for

Clare enjoys her privilege of poverty can be known ever after as Poor Clare

not a failure

iii

imagine (again for consideration) I (still Clare here) enjoy a 13th C email exchange

with pal Agnes in Prague gutsy daughter of Bohemian king Bavarian queen

mining her bottomless

contempt for earthly riches ever lumpy camel needle etc. so Agnes joins

my girl group blows jumbo dowry on fab convent for Prague’s Poor Clares begs

her first pope (still Greg 9)

to be stone broke please he complies but denies further power over her own penury

popes come & go Poor Agnes a bulldog for poverty eventually enlists

royal relative (it all is)

to help Innocent 4 (her second pope) put down Frederick 2 (holy roman emp

+ former fiancé) (small world!) which gets Innocent rethinking poor Agnes’ policy grants

more privileges of poverty woohoo

iv

1253 still not poor enough but Innocent 4 eating from my (imagine) & Ag’s hands

at last accedes to quantum poverty-demands bountifully declares adjunct professors

sisters of Assisi & Prague

may enjoy inviolably to the end privation broke-ness inability to buy birthday cake

for boyfriend dozens of nuns dancing leaping chanting in streets (imagine) toasting

privilege of a possession-free world

happened once