by Birdie Keller ’25
This month’s craft corner features writing by some of the fabulous authors in Cow Tipping Press classes. Cow Tipping Press is an an organization whose mission statement is to “teach and publish writing by people with intellectual/developmental disabilities, giving audiences a new way to think about this rich form of human diversity in practice and in print.” College students are employed as teachers for the 5 week long program, at the end of which each class publishes an anthology of the best student writings. To read more about the teaching perspective, check out Beja’s article about her time teaching classes.
In the meantime, below are some fantastic writings from the most recent class that I taught with Cow Tipping. The official book release of the anthology, where you can find these readings and more, is taking place at 7pm on April 17th at Sisyphus Brewing, in collaboration with Poets and Pints. All are welcome to attend!
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About the authors featured below:
Her name’s Noa Makinen Brown. She plays nine instruments. Loves hanging out with family. She loves doing diamond art. She has autism and Cerebral palsy. She has three sisters, two brothers. And she loves Cow Tipping class and painting.
Sarah Graves-Roherty is 29 years old. She loves to cook and draw. She has a passion for learning languages. She also loves to learn about other cultures. Sarah plays music by ear, and is a classically trained vocalist. Her hobbies also include writing, video gaming, and lastly, collecting stuffed animals.
Netta Hardin is smart. She is kind. She is encouraged. She is amazing. She is special. She is kind. And she follows directions. She is innovative. She is a leader and she is an artist.
Her name is Selena Judd, she has multiple things that prevent her from doing a lot of things, she has fibromyalgia, arthritis, and, neuropathy from her waist down. She can’t walk very well and she has to always have assistance some days and nights are good with little to no pain but most days and nights she is in constant pain. She really enjoys doing these writing classes as well as other things because it distracts her from her pain and gives her something to do.
Nicolas Kelley was reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Dragons jumping off a diving board. Nicolas thinks Riley throwing a snowball. He likes the Spongebob Squarepants movie. He was reading a book from Madagascar 2. He thinks that plane is crashing from Africa. He was reading a book from Shrek 2. He thinks that Fiona is an ogre. Shrek is a human.
He is Josh Larson. His life is about the time he went to the casino. He also went bowling. He went to an event. He also went to his grandparents’ wedding anniversary, and there was also a time he got an electric toothbrush. He had a Christmas party. He also got a rocketbook and an iPad and iPhone. He had a wonderful time. He also went to the library. And he also went on a road trip and pontoon trip.
Jessy Oeffler is a writer, a poet, and a maker. She wants people to know that a diagnosis of schizophrenia does not make you the next Jeffrey Dahmer. She wishes she could erase the stigma associated with mental illness. Jessy loves animals and lives by the phrase “Stay strong.” She is an avid reader and a lifelong learner.
Julianna Rachie, her nickname is Julz, is 24 years old. She loves to write and read. She does a lot of art things. Her favorite color is purple. Her favorite animal is pandas. She lives in a group home in Minnesota. She goes to a day program during the day on weekdays. It’s an honor to write with Cow Tipping Press.
Freya Roherty is a writer, poet, singer, positive, caring, kind, loving, good Samaritan, polite, and very outgoing person. She has lived in many places and made many friends. She has a loving wife and two feline children that are the apple of her eye and she is always willing to help others whenever she can. She supports the Cow Tipping Press and their mission to get Neurodivergent people’s writings and words published and their Exact Words Only policy. She feels being able to contribute to them has also made her a better person and a more networking/outreach kind of person. She is 21 with 20 years of experience and she is happy to say… she loves Minnesota, and her wife Sarah Graves. (Also in the class)
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Dearest Rainbow Baby
by Sarah Graves-Roherty
Dearest Rainbow Baby,
I haven’t met you yet. Maybe, I won’t get that chance. Yet here in my deepest, most dreaming of my soul, here you are. I thought you’d arrive, eventually. I had been so hopeful, in my heart, that one day the pitter patter of your tiny, little, twinkling toes would be tap, tap, tapping away on the floors of our, (so far) non-existent cherry wooded floors of the home we hope to live in one day. That, one day we could see your cutest, chubbiest, rosy cheeks as you blow out your third birthday candles. I had always dreamed of picking out your new school clothing, as you get older and grow… and grow… and grow.
But, even if I only ever get to dream of what you’d be like, or who you would become. All I can say, is I still will love and continue to dream and grow my heart for you and every other person I meet, or have met, or will encounter. Maybe I cannot will my way into it being in the cards for us to be parents; however, the small piece in my heart that has those huge dreams of being a mother, can be used to wrap my love around myself and those around me, who could most definitely need a little more care.
So, my rainbow baby, my love, I may never have a physical presence of you. What I do know, though, is that I will always have a little, extra loving for others who I do have in this world, and that maybe in the next, I can truly, physically hold your hand as we walk together into the sunset, home from the park across the street. And little one, I will keep dreaming the dream of you, and smiling with every bit of hope and strength in my heart. One day, my dear one, I will manifest you.
Signed, Momma
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Netta
by Netta Hardin
When I think of nature, I think of the poem, and when I think of the poem, I think of nature. And when I think of friends, I think of love. And I think of eggs, I think of cookies and I think of tortillas, I think of mushrooms, onions, garlic, eggs, salt, and pepper. And you can get those flavors.
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My True Love
by Selena Judd
The day I met my one true love, We met in a chat room online.
We exchanged our A/S/L (Age, Sex, And Location). You were older than me but that was not a factor in our case then again age is just a number right.
We knew we were meant for each other, We talked nearly everyday in fact sometimes we talked so much that we started falling asleep on the phone together, hearing each other sleep, breathing occasionally having a snore or two good thing they didn’t have FaceTime then or we would probably see each other’s drooling.
The first time you told me that you loved me it caught me off guard and it took me a back because I didn’t know what to say I mean I knew I loved you too.
The day finally came and it was time to meet each other in person. If you don’t ever believe in love at first sight then you don’t know what you’re missing because that’s exactly what happened to us.
After our first date, our first hug, to our first holding each other’s hand, to our first kiss we made it official that we were together forever.
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Loved One at Heart
by Noa Makinen Brown
I have a friend who took care of me when I was young. A friend who loved us all so much. God called him home. Who took care of me like a dad. My mom wished never ended so soon. A friend who at heart loved pets Brows and Ford.
I have a friend who loved to hang out play with kids, I have a friend who loved us all so much it hurts our family how he served this country he loved and gave up to fight the ones who attacked our United States. Who sacrificed his life to serve for peace on this earth.
I have a friend who took care of our family when not sick. I have a friend who would do it all over again pass unexpected fish, camp and sleep in our camper beds. I have a friend who took care of me like a dad when young. I have a friend my mom who’s in tears a lot wish never ended soon. You might think I have many friends but I have one it’s called loved one at heart. It’s called loved one at heart, you might think I have many friends but it’s called loved one at heart. I’m referring to my grandpa.
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Wow The Nature
by Julianna Rachie
I am walking in the forest.
“Wow! I love nature” I think joyfully.
I run and jump over rocks and splash in the creek. I climb up a tall tree. I can see everything. I feel like the king of the forest! I see the birds chirping and feeding their young and the foxes sneaking up on their prey. I climb down from the tree and sit under my makeshift shelter I made and eat my snack of assortment of nuts. My favorite are the cashews.
The night drowns the forest in darkness and I howl with the wolves at the full moon. Since it is dark out it’s time to go home. I get my flashlight out of my backpack and use it to light my path home.
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Fox in a Magical Wood
by Nicolas Kelley
Fox running in the woods. Fox is catching the butterfly. Fox is catching the fish. The Fox is inside the house. Fox is in the doghouse.
A Fox is eating the berries the fox is drinking the water.
The Fox is eating the dog treat.
The Fox is running when the dog chases the Fox.
The Fox is in the magical tree. The Fox is Swinging on the bed in the tree house.
The Fox is seeing the wood cutter.
The Fox is playing in the snow. The Fox is swimming at the pond.
The Fox is scratching the tree.
The Fox is chasing the baby chicks.
The Fox sees the Magic School bus.
The Fox is Climbing the tree and eating the apple.
The magic in the woods castle. The Fox is seeing the butterfly in the house.
The forest is in a woodhouse.
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The Planet of All Time
by Freya Roherty
There is a planet that all time is merged with each other. That time is basically irrelevant, and that the planet is a parallel Earth that all time has merged. The earth there is three times the size of Jupiter and is in the same habitable zone just compensating for the mass of the planet seeing earth is three times bigger.
Time basically has everyone existing all at once and that people kind of age the way they want to, meaning they can choose the age they want to be and live the timeline they want to live. Be it future or past or present. They can coexist without fear of being taken over by other people from different eras of time nad each area of the earth experiences their own time for an infinite amount of time. They can embrace other timeline morals but also stay within their time as well. So, I have to say this planet is at peace with all.
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The UPS Story
by Josh Larson
I love the UPS Story So much
I know I want to own it one day
I know I want to send The UPS Story
through The UPS Store
I know that because I have a lot
of sense I hope to get it from
Amazon in the hope it will be sent to me
via UPS because the library said
they couldn’t provide it for me
I know it will be a wonderful thing for me
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AKA Me
by Jessy Oeffler
Hello Old Friend,
It’s been awhile since I’ve seen you. I may have forgotten the sound of your voice, but your face is still fresh within my mind’s eye. Every scar, every freckle, memorized. We were seedlings then, grown tall and proud now, our leaves green and plentiful, our branches no longer barren. Oh, old friend, if only we could meet once more! To exchange stories of our lives from then to now. To share our secrets along the river bank like we once did. We could celebrate that day, all the things we were apart for. I miss you my friend, more with every passing day.
Until We Meet Again,
Jessy