a starrystarry

studded night sky

Cover art: “Creative Mind” by Jill Griffin, Interact Center.

INTRODUCTION

As someone who’s preached a growth mindset to students and teachers for years, it’s embarrassing to admit my surprise that after five weeks in a Northeast community center basement (ask Vince about some epic bus rides) we’ve all learned and grown and improved. How easy for even the most intentional allies to fall into that nefarious default of presuming incompetence! Ranging from haiku-like paeans to the season (Robert Bergerson’s “What I Like About Hot Dogs”) to searching parables (Vince Fiorilli’s “Life Out of the Jungle”) to wild experimentation that might find company in a City Lights anthology (Dar Cieminski’s “inthepink sunrise...”), astarrystarry studded night sky expands form and content beyond previous Cow Tipping editions. What unites the bits and pieces is defiance. You might not agree with everything our authors write. (I don’t.) But do you think they agree with everything written in the doctor’s report, those contact notes, that memoir or news article about what it’s like to raise a child with a disability? As Dar Cieminski aptly sums up, “They got another thing coming.”

Bryan Boyce

Cow Tipping Press November 2015

1

EMOJI

by Dar Cieminski

Well, let the client vent. And there might be

some reasoning. They say unreasonable people

need to look for situations and emotions instead of

just being like a wall you know. That’s kind of how

I feel, like I’m up against a wall. Like I’m talking to

a brick wall. I mean, they aren’t going to listen to

me. Maybe they’ll listen to Jesse. Or maybe they’ll

listen to Jeanie, I don’t know. Nobody seems to be

listening. So I don’t know what to do. I don’t feel

jealous. I just don’t like people getting something

for nothing. Like, I’ve worked hard for about

twenty-five and a half years and I still haven’t

gotten paid. I got little itty-bitty checks, but I want

to get paid for my classes. That doesn’t mean I have

to visit the doctor every day. I’m not going to do

that. But I like poetry. I like arts and crafts. I liked

2

being with people — some people. I like animals. I

like my mom and dad, like helping them out. My

sisters. You know, I’m a very loving person but I

just can’t put up with some people. I don’t like the

book. I don’t like people telling me this or that.

It’s just too many things happening at once. I

want to do what I want to do. Instead of them

worrying about what I do, they should be

worrying about what they do than what I do. They

don’t make any sense. Then we got, we have to lift

the ban over at our house so that we can,

sometimes we can — where was I? Get that lifted.

So that we can be left alone. We can’t even be left

alone at work either. I mean I can understand from

a safety point, but not every little thing is a safety

thing. I mean the kitchen is a dangerous place to

be. Because there’s a stove, there’s knives, there’s

so-and-so. I mean they telling us that we can’t do

3

this, we can’t do that. What are we supposed to do,

sit there and look like a plant? I’m not going to do

that. I’m not going to follow any of their rules.

They want us to stay there just because the state is

funding it. They got another thing coming. Me.

They got me to deal with.

I don’t care about the state. If they’re willing to

pay as little as $30 a month, well then lift the ban. I

mean we’re not going to do nothing. I mean so

what if there’s somebody at the house? There

should only be somebody at the house when you

come home or at least have appointments or

something. Not just so that you can just, I don’t

know, sit there and do nothing. I mean if we

wanted to sit there and do nothing, I could have

done that while I was at the house. But there

always has to be somebody there, because the state

said so. I think we should get that lifted.

4

The say it’s always supposed to be like that. It’s

almost 2016. We’re old compared to you guys.

We’re old. I think they should show at least a little

more respect to old people. Not that we’re that old,

but we’re getting to the age where we’re not so

young, we’re not so vibrant, we’re not so happy.

And we just need to vent. And if we can’t do that,

we’ve got nothing. I don’t want my boss to be high

and mighty because she has a badge, just because

she’s queen of the planet. It’s wrong. I don’t like it.

I don’t like it. Sounds terrible, but I don’t know. It’s

what I think. Because I just needed to vent.

5

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT HOT DOGS

by Robert Bergerson

they are good to eat and it’s food and I think about

football games

6

HOW IS HE?

by Vince Fiorilli

There is a person I know about. His name is

Buster Bunny. He’s had a hard life. It’s also him

and I have had a hard time keeping in contact with

each other. When he was in high school he was a

normal and popular guy. After a while he met

someone known as Babs. They got along for a

while. Well after a while they broke up and found

out she was pregnant. They didn’t know what to

do.

Five years had passed and Buster started to get

back in touch with his kid. Both of them were

happy and enjoyed talking to each other. But

ended up having a hard time. Now they’re talking

again and having fun. And Buster was happy to

hear his son has things he sent his kid from the

past.

7

THE FALL

by Robert Bergerson

The jazz music sounds like going to a

restaurant, like any old restaurant. Like even when

you go to sports places. My brother-in-law is in a

band that plays jazz music. When I hear that

music, I think it sounds like a river flowing down

the street. It makes me want to dance. I think of the

seasons. Like falling leaves when I hear the music

playing.

8

KELSEY GOES TO SCHOOL

by Dar Cieminski

Kelsey

likes

to dance

and took

ballet

and goes

to school

w / her job

as / a female staff

at jh is a yoga

teacher / is still learning

yoga teacher and student

and helps / do arts and crafts

and / do nail painting and go / to movies

w / bc and dc

likes to bake

cookies

9

WHERE ARE FRIENDS?

by Vince Fiorilli

At one time I thought I had the hardest life. So

one day I had a talk with my dad. We went on and

on. Here it is.

I told him, “Everyone hates me.”

He said, “Son I don’t think that could be the

truth. You’re a wonderful child and you never put

yourself first.”

But then I said, “Yeah, I have seen others that

are teased the same way. But also get looked at by

them meanly.”

“But Son, when you are on your walks each

day, remember when you told me about the sad

people you always tell me about? And how much

you want to help them out?”

“Yes Dad, I remember. But what does that have

to do with me and making friends?”

10

“The thing I’m trying to tell you is with the way

you get treated at school and the others, maybe

you can go to the others and try to hang out with

them and all of you can be friends. Also son,

there’s always friends for you out there. You’ll find

them one day. Tell me what happens later.”

“Okay Dad. Thanks for the help, Dad.”

“You’re welcome Son.”

11

CHANGE

by Robert Bergerson

I pray for world peace. Why can’t there be

world peace every day? Why is there so much

fighting in today’s world? Why can’t people get

along without fighting? I’m excited about voting

for president. Because I hope we get another

president for change. I would like to see change

happen. I would like to see a woman president in

office.

12

THE HIPPIE CHICK

by Dar Cieminski

Thanks

for the comment. Thank you.

I guess there’s all different kinds of beautiful.

Very

well. Different kinds of love.

Know the concept. The vocabulary.

Vocabulary

is more like a sentence full of poetic words. Thank

you. Love

for your pet. A sheep is a ewe.

Very well.

Flowers are beautiful.

Flower magic. I look beautiful.

I want a big vocabulary.

I look very

nice. Thank

you.

Love

13

me. I love

thee. I count the ways. I look beautiful.

You

are my best friend. Vocabularic

poetry. Thanks

a lot. I thank you very

much. The very

end. Hippie chick love.

I thank

you. I look beautiful.

Vocabulary

is a big concept of poetic words of a dictionary that

you

make up. You

love me. Very very.

Vocabulary.

It’s just a bunch of words that you put together in

a sentence. Love me love you love myself. Love

your pet. Love your mom and dad. Love your

sisters, brothers. Love your teacher. Love the help.

Love your staff. Beautiful

can be almost any word. Thank

14

you. You can. Very

good. Vocabulary words. Love

you. Beautiful me. Thank you.

15

FRIENDS

by Robert Bergerson

BETH Hi! I’m Beth. School. I am 35. And I like to

go to dances.

BILL Hi! I’m Bill. I like to go bowling. I’m a

bowler. And I like movies, like going to the

movies.

BETH Well I like to drink some beer. And going to

shopping places.

BILL I like country music. I would like to sing in

a show and become an actor.

BETH I’d like to live in a group home sometime.

And become a famous dancer.

BILL I would like to meet you sometime. On a

date. And maybe get married.

BETH I also live in a group home. I would like to

get married.

BILL I like to travel a lot and see different places.

16

BETH I have three sisters and five kids. I’d like to

go to the circus.

BILL I could go to a sports show sometime and

try race cars.

17

WHAT’S YOUR MISSION?

by Vince Fiorilli

Just today I got a mission to go out and

interview somebody about their goal for the future.

I accepted it. So off I went.

As I was on the way I saw a man who looked

like he could be a teen. I went to him. I asked him

for his name and he said, “My name is Frank. How

are you?”

I said, “I was sent with a mission to ask

someone about their goal in the future.” I asked if

he would do it and he said yes.

“Now Frank, if you could do one thing when

you get older, what would it be and why?”

He said, “I would love to join the National

Guard. The reason is that all the stories you hear

about them I feel honored for what they do. I want

to do it myself and maybe influence others.”

18

HAVING BREAKFAST

by Robert Bergerson

Like pancakes up north before I was going on a

fishing trip. With my mom and dad, family. It was

like a heavenly experience. It was great. It was

delicious. It was like life-changing. It’s like you

start this day off right. It’s like getting breakfast

with friends. It reminds me of friends, experiences,

vacations. Pancakes, French toast. Like cereal. It’s a

family experience, like breakfast with family every

year. It’s like hanging out with loved ones. It makes

you feel good. It reminds me of the holidays, like

Christmastime and Easter. Going to my sister’s for

Christmas. It’s like a spiritual meeting, like with

Jesus. It’s like going to heaven.

19

CHARM BATTLE

by Dar Cieminski

We went to Jessica’s house and we went to the

coop and bought some toppings for our sundaes.

The charmed sisters say, “Open door!” and there

was a vortex in the bathroom. They saw a demon

and they blew him up and said, “Dude, you’re

dead. Act the part!” He lay there. He’s supposed to

be dead but he came alive and the void is where

they go. Kelsey said, “You blew him up. You can

also stop time.” I said, “Window!” and then I

scared the reporter and tied him up, and the

window shut, and she scared him. He’s out to get

the story and he verbally hurt people by lying to

them. I said, “If you ever hurt anyone again I will

come for you.” Then I brought him to the house

and they had a conference. When they came home,

reporters were there and there was nothing to see.

20

It was all very general. I drank something. Potion.

Probably #9, #5. Then they all sat in the living

room. Talked. Then I guess they went to the quake,

the P3 club, and had a happy ending.

21

GOD IS GOOD

by Robert Bergerson

I care about our country so much. We

shouldn’t be fighting. We should get the war over

with. Why is there so much fighting in the world?

It’s like, religion. I believe we should stop the

terrorists. Because 9/11 kind of affected me too.

Like is that the way the world is these days? My

mom and dad were alive when the towers fell

down. Why can’t there be world peace in the

world? That’s all you see sometimes on TV is

fighting.

I might as well talk about it. ISIS, the black flag.

They should believe Jesus, the God. I think we

should get the troops involved. We pulled back too

soon. We should have stayed in. It’s like the Middle

East is out of control. Because that’s what should

have happened. We should have kept the troops in

22

still. We pulled back too soon. And now we’ve got

too much chaos. I think 9/11 never should have

happened in the first place. I blame W. Bush for it

too. Because he was on vacation. He didn’t watch

what he was doing. I pray that we don’t have

World War III.

23

LIFE OUT OF THE JUNGLE

by Vince Fiorilli

This car I used to have needed a lot of work

done. But one problem was I didn’t know how to

do it. Here’s a good example. One day as I was

driving a light came on but I didn’t know what it

meant. So a friend of mine told me that it needs

some new oil. I told him thanks for the help. The

next day I went to look at the oils on the shelves.

That same day I had to ask a worker for how to get

the oil I needed and what the numbers meant. He

told me that was how much they cost. I said thanks

and I’ll see him later.

The next day I was walking around and asked

my friend how to get it. I told him I was raised in

the woods all my life and also asked what is

money, is it those green things on the trees? He

told me the money you need you get from a job

24

that you would work at. But he also made a deal

with me. He would pay for my oil and I would get

a job to learn life out of the jungle and see how this

life is. That really made me happy and I promised

him that if he needs any help, tell me, and I will try

my hardest to pay him back. After that we were

like best friends.

25

INTHEPINK SUNRISE

THEDAWNOFTIMEANDTHEPROMISE OF

DAWNTHE

by Dar Cieminski

Inthepink sunrise thethebluelugoonofparadise

cherish peace and love and sister hood

theealkoftime and the promise ofqthebrige in time

fourlove to andhoner

theidawtnofthesunriseslandofdolifindreames

islandofti me w are and the magicalthedoveandthe

walkthrough

Promise inthehart brige of life purpose

astarrystarry studded night sky

Diamonds inthesky your lifeisjust thebeinging of

the promise of inconniction yourroyle loves as to

be intwine your love is the path way to Sun set the

brige of time youtojust thebyegning ofyourlifes

26

DISABILITIES

by Robert Bergerson

I believe that people have a right to be heard,

their voices heard. If you’re thinking of writing

about something, you need to speak up. Make your

voice heard. Like they should have a right to go to

work. They should be treated in the same way just

like every normal person. They have a right to

make money, if you want to. Or have a

relationship with somebody, somebody else. Or

they should have a choice to either get married or

have kids if they want to. Or even where they want

to live. Like the same things, make the right

decisions. Have a right to have a boyfriend or

girlfriend. Or like go to activities with their people.

Or have a right to even, if they wanted to drive a

car, they can. Or vote. They have a right to vote if

they want to.

27

YOUR MIND

by Vince Fiorilli

Some minds are dark

But minds can be bright

I just heard a tone that makes you glad

But what does it do

makes you happy and open your mind to do

something fun

oh my, oh my, oh my

let’s open our mind and have fun

28

THE MAILMAN AND JAZZ

by Robert Bergerson

John, my brother-in-law, he’s a jazz singer.

Sings the blues. He goes on tours and trips. Like he

sings gospel music. He’s one of my family

members. He sometimes is onstage at Famous

Dave’s. He likes to sing the blues and jazz. He likes

to sing gospel music. He sings at the State Fair. He

lives in Wisconsin and he’s got a cat named

Stubby, a chubby cat. It died a few years ago.

I also had Dan the mailman. No, a veteran –

World War II. He got a Purple Heart. He’s a nice

guy. Sometimes he drinks a lot, too much. He tells

me World War II stories. Like how they drove a

jeep. They were his World War II experiences. We

listened to polka music. He was living in the 60’s,

like the Vietnam War and stuff like that. Like

Woodstock. I met him through work. I met Dan

29

when I was on a trip to Florida. I stopped seeing

him.

30

THE THREE BROTHERS

by Vince Fiorilli

A long time ago, there lived three brothers:

Brother 1, Brother 2, and Brother 3. When they

turned 18 their mom told them, “I think it is about

time that you three go out and live on your own.”

So off they went.

As they got to the forest, Brother 2 told the

others that they can stay together and stuff have a

good and fun life like they already were having.

But Brother 1 said, “You are too weak for me to

handle. You can’t even pick up a feather! So again,

you are way too weak.”

Brother 3 said, “You have no sense of

imagination. Your artistic skills are so weak you

can’t even draw a stick person right! Well so

goodbye.”

31

Now Brother 2 was so sad that he didn’t know

what to do with himself since his brothers put him

down so harsh. As the days went on, Brother 2 was

feeling a little okay, not the happiest, so he just

went to Mom’s house a lot. Just to say hi and talk

about his sadness and anger to the others due to

the way they put him down so harsh when he was

talking to them when they went to the forest to go

on with their life. Mom gave him a few ideas on

what he can do.

The one that he thought was, “Just be patient.

One of these days what they said will backfire on

them and they will look up to you for help. You’ll

see that day and maybe you can put them down

just as harsh. Well maybe not as hard, but you can

make it backfire.” He took her idea and just went

on with his life waiting for that day. But he was

starting to go nuts waiting for that.

32

When it was the day of their mom’s birthday and

he was picking some flowers, Brother 1 was

carrying a bag of flowers. Brother 1 passed by with

a wagon of statues of the family and he was

running out of energy and he asked Brother 2 for

some help. Now Brother 2 saw what Mom meant.

He told Brother 1, “I think you told me that I was

too weak and I couldn’t even pick up a feather. So I

don’t see why or how I should help you due to how

you have been so mean to me.”

“But please Brother 2, help me! I made these

for Mom and I have to get these to where Mom’s

party is.”

“Okay, I’ll help you and meet me in the middle

of the meadow after the party.”

When they arrived, Brother 3 needed them for

some help on decorating the area for Mom’s party.

Brother 1 just went and asked him out. They had

33

some ideas on what to do but not enough. Then

both of them were asking Brother 2 for some ideas.

He told them that, “I think you told me that I had

no sense of creativity and that I couldn’t even draw

a stick person correctly. So why should I help?

Well here’s a deal. If you can give me one good

reason why I should help you, I’ll help.”

“Okay, I know I went too far on that, but this

decorating is supposed to be for Mom and you’re

the only one that still knows what is some of her

favorite things.”

Brother 2 said, “Okay, and I want you to meet

me in the middle of the meadow after the party.”

So they got started.

They started decorating and they had so much

to do that they didn’t know where to start. Then it

was party time and when Mom came to the party

area she was so impressed with how it looked. She

34

asked the boys, “How are things going for the

three of you boys?”

Brother 2 said, “It kind of started out kind of

hard but we’re doing better and are starting to

learn teamwork.”

Mom asked, “Is that true?”

The others said, “Yes, that’s true.”

After the party Mom said, “Thank you boys and

have a fun time out there.”

Now the party was over and the boys met in

the meadow. Brother 2 said, “Now you boys see

what I mean. We all have our differences if we put

them separate, but if we put them together we are

strong. Now do you boys plan on doing things

together or staying separate?”

They said, “We can work together when

needed.”

“Thank you boys,” Brother 2 said.

35

THE BIKE RACE

by Dar Cieminski

He’s racing with the snail and he’s afraid of the

snail escaping. He can race the snail up a hill, race

back down, zigzag up, zigzag down, crawl away

slowly. At a park is where the snail and the guy on

the bike want to race. The snail races the guy on

the bike, otherwise the guy would be racing the

snail. The park with some kind of animal, a tiger,

or even a dog or cat, just some things you want to

race with. A jackrabbit chased the bike guy and the

tiger chased the dog. He didn’t feel safe so he biked

down the hill as fast as he could. Down the hill he

went with the snail and the tiger. How about a big

white bear came and chased the bike rider down

the hill and how about this little surprise, you and

I go after the guy on the bike on the hill.

36

THE FALL

by Robert Bergerson

I like the trees and different colors and now the

weather is cool and we don’t have any storms

37

THE LIFELINE OF VINCE FIORILLI

by Vince Fiorilli

Hi, my name is Vince. I lived all over the U.S.

but the one place that I was born was Philadelphia.

And with all my traveling I grew up and was

raised in Minnesota. I’ve been in Minnesota for so

long I’m starting to blend in with different things.

My father’s name is Mickey Mouse. And my

mother’s name was Minnie. I don’t know how my

dad was. I didn’t see much of him. But my mom’s

attitude been going back and forth. As my life went

on sometimes I just wanted to yell at my dad and

other times I wanted to see and hug him. My mom,

she’s gone so out of her way for me that now I’m

trying to do the same for her. Yes, I got into a lot of

trouble throughout my life. But the worst thing I

ever done was getting in a fight with police. I have

five siblings. One of them I never saw when I was

38

a kid. But the thing that I loved the kids did was

two of the girls would throw their arms in the air

and would scream brother! Back then I was just a

small happy child. I was a very active person. And

was happy all the time. My best memory is getting

first place in a race. On the other side my worst is

going to jail. I don’t recall any nicknames. I had a

lot of friends growing up. But one of them who

made me feel like a person was in high school.

Most of the time I always sat alone at lunch but

one day someone asked if we could sit together and

I said yes. A perfect day would be exploring the

streets. I thought I would never have a good life

and would never have any friends. There was a

bunch of books I would always read. But the main

one was The Boxcar Children. I even have all of

them.

39

THE BREAKFAST

by Dar Cieminski

the / breakfast table

the / most memorable food

waffles / w choc chips

and / scramble / eggs and sausage

w / spices and cheese / writing

on my Kindle Fire hd 6

poem at breakfast table

CONTRIBUTORS Robert Bergerson is a great poet, a very good poet. He likes to say what’s on his mind. It’s like enjoying life every day.

Dar Cieminski is a hippie chick. She likes to write poems at free will. She does have a disability. She like to do writing classes. She likes to do the reading. She also likes her teacher. She likes who brings her. She likes her friends. She likes her family. She likes the people that come to the reading.

Vince Fiorilli has always been on a mission in his life to see where he belongs. Or show to others that a disabled person can do what a nondisabled can. He thinks he may have found his spot now, here in writing.

Cow Tipping Press teaches and publishes writing by adults with developmental disabilities, encouraging readers to see this form of human diversity in a new way. For more information or to browse our entire collection, visit cowtippingpress.org.