The document is a poem that explores the idea that there is no single correct order or path in life. The poem reflects on how the author used to believe that everything must have a clear beginning, middle, and end, but now realizes that there can be multiple beginnings and that things don't always unfold linearly. The author questions whether people are meant for just one purpose or if they have a single defined ending. In the end, the author refuses to believe their life can be reduced to just one purpose or ending.

1. (Dis)order
Shaina Bailey

2. I never saw how anyone could finish things out of order. I always believed
everything needed a beginning, a middle, and an ending
and that they had to be done and seen in that order. But what I didn't realize until
very recently was that there are multiple beginnings
that can happen right in the middle
or that can begin after an ending.
I realized that there is no order. No right way things should be done. if everything
truly had a place in this world, people would always try looking for that place.
But none of us know where our places are. No, we aren't the perfect stories we
make up in our heads; the ones where you fall in love and with that person is the
one place where you should be--At least not to me. Are we really only meant for
one thing? And is that one thing the end? Is that because no one knows of what's
beyond that final moment or is it because we want an ending to this? Whatever
this is. Well I refuse to believe that I have just one purpose. I refuse to believe I
have an ending.

3. I
never
saw
how
anyone
could
finish
things
out
of
order.

4. I always believed everything needed a
beginning, a middle, and an ending
and that they had to be done and seen in that
order. But what I didn’t realize until very recently
was that there are multiple beginnings
that can happen right in the middle
or that can begin after an ending.

5. I realized that there is no order.

6. No right way things should be done.
If everything truly had a place in
this world, people would always try
looking for that place.

7. But none of us know where our places
are.

8. No, we aren’t the perfect stories we make
up in our heads; the ones where you fall in
love and with that person is the one place
where you should be –At least not to me.

9. Are we only meant for one thing? And is that
one thing the end? Is that because no one
knows of what’s beyond that final moment or
is it because we want an ending to this?
Whatever this is.

10. Well I refuse to believe that I
have just one purpose. I refuse
to believe I have an ending.

11. …

12. About the Piece
This piece was written in the moment. It's a very
different piece than what I started out with. It started
out as an almost incomplete thought and then we
came up with the idea to break the piece up and to
demonstrate disorder. Choosing to add the audio
aspect of the project was my favorite part because it
gives each line a specific tone. Breaking it up like we
chose to gave the piece a completely different feel
than it did when it was all together. I think this piece
shows my weakness to accept the fact that things are
the way they are but also shows how I choose to see
and adapt to things.

13. About UsShaina:
Working with Sharon has improved
and brought out so many things within
me that I didn't know existed. I never
expected to ever record audio in
crowded Time Square and not even care
about who heard me. Meeting up with
her at places I usually just pass by and
never even think about going into as
well as writing different pieces besides
poetry has made me a more curious and
well-rounded person. I don't think I
would have ever made this much
progress, as a writer and a
person, without her, and I'm extremely
thankful for that.
Sharon:
Working with Shaina gave me a sense
of poetic bravery. I am most often
drawn to creative nonfiction writing,
especially memoir, but my work took
on a new lyricism as we continued to
meet. It was inspiring to see Shaina
trying out new genres, including satire
and personal essay, and this pushed me
to smash through my comfort barrier
into the unknown. Some of our digital
workshops (“dorkshops”) were
humbling. I’m used to teaching writing,
but experimenting with HTML/CSS
(through TextWrangler), Photoshop,
and Audacity was almost like learning a
new language. It's good to remember
what being a beginner feels like!