These poems and short stories were written by students of the Oberlin Workshop, all of whom are special needs adults. My brother attends the workshop daily, and on a recent visit home, I got the chance to read some of the stories and poems written by his fellow students. The topic was love, and the lunch that day was Dominos pizza (you will soon see why I mention it-- it seems to have invaded their collective subconscious). Reading them out loud in the car to my mom and husband, I was struck by how original and laugh out loud funny these stories and poems are. And I mean no disrespect when I say they’re funny-- the humor comes from the sheer unexpectedness of the topics, clever musings and plot turns. It seems creativity isn’t limited by disability. A far cry from the standard Hallmark variety sentiments on love, these are both amusing and brilliantly ingenuous. I have copied them as exactly as I could, mimicking the spacing and structure of the originals, which are handwritten. I hope everyone enjoys them as much as I do.
Page One:
I love you and love is like the sun
It’s the best
Dominos
Pizza-- I eat it
But pizza is not good for you
It’s bad-- bad seasoning and salt
Poison,
is not good
But I don’t agree; Love is good
It is not! It’s not good!
Page Two:
One day, I came back and my love was in
Jail. 250.
She killed someone and I was
Tired of waiting for her to get out.
So I sat around and read-- yep
Until I got information from the hospital
When you find out your best friend is in the
Hospital, you are scared
I don’t know why
I love you ‘cause you’re pretty
You look sexy in a hat
56 Chevy.
Page Three:
LOVE
I finally have a girlfriend-- it’s nice to have one
She’s good like candy
Like Mike Ward’s underwear
Is inappropriate
Instead, I’ll make pizza into a heart shape
I like that because it’s cooked
I like food, I love it
I love tacos because they’re peppery and hot
They’re nice and hot and they have a long shape
And that’s good. I’m done.
Page Four:
Love is good like candy
Valentine’s Day candy
Is the worst candy because too much sugar
Love is sometimes like the sugar because it
Is always. Sweet.
Love is a grown up, like Ray
Love is you
Love is a surprise
Because it is the best first love you can have
It’s shaped like red
A hat, a red car
Pretty car, hot car, information car
Page Five:
Joey and Tyra were cats who had been in love for 25 years. One day, they found a bunch of money in a box. Ten thousand dollars! But what do cats do with money?! But Joey (and Tyra) was a bank robber. Policeman, cat. These two cats were corrupt cats. They were trying to spend the money they stole at Dominos, but people knew they’d stolen it. Since there was a snow day, they had to wait a while before getting more pizza, so they ate the money instead. They got tired of waiting.
There were monsters shaped like a flag. His heart fell apart. Their names were Tyra and Jeff Christopher. They were dancing to the flag. The monsters decided to eat some of the staff at Dominos. They got hungry and decided to eat them. So they ate everybody and left.
The lovers got married.
The End.
Page Six:
Tracy’s poem about love
Love is like a ring
You are a ring
You are this one
You are Yellow
Outside, a beautiful flower
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