I managed to use all the Wordle words: hammock, incense, upon, color, carress, gambol, suck, endure, life, stilts.
This is a true incident that happened at our school yesterday. I know in some parts of the country this is probably a normal occurrence but, in our neck of the woods, it hasn't happened in 30 years.
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The message was written
upon the inside of a stall
in the boys’ bathroom
and it incensed the principal
so much that he called
the police. The writer promised
to bring a gun to school
on 10/31/08 and use it to kill
as many “fuckers” as he could.
It made me wonder
what kind of a life
he’d had to endure,
what caresses he’d missed
out on, what abuse
had sucked the love
out of his soul. How could
the color of his sunshine
be black? What caused
him to slink through
the world like a dung beetle
instead of gambol,
head held high, like a horse
breathing the air
of green meadows?
I’m planning on retiring
in three years
but today I wish
I was already living
in the hammock of our stilt
house in sunny Florida
and not in New Hampshire
under the heavy clouds
of broken kids.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NOTE: Today, our principal and vice-principal along with the police figured out who wrote the message and apprehended the person. I heard a rumor that it was one of my students and I'm just sick about it.
13 comments:
Hi Linda, I'm sorry to hear about this, hope it doesn't upset you too much. - Buit what a great way to deal with this in poetry and to manage to write it to the prompt.
wishing you well!
Andy
Ooof--what a horrible event. I'm so sorry to hear this happened. "Heavy clouds/of broken kids," yes.
oh, dear - on many levels: the poor kid, the quality of your poem, and that line, "the heavy clouds of broken kids." Ai, that line! Fabulous. That's what Robert Bly calls a "leaping metaphor."
I'm sorry this happened and that it continues to happen.
What a powerful poem you wrote to express your sadness. HUG
oh linda, how painful...
and how well told...
we need you in the classroom...and in the hammock, eh?
I'm sorry that the incident happened, that type of thing is increasingly common, awful.
I really like the lines: How could/the colour of his sunshine/be black
As a fellow teacher, my heart goes out for you. When something like this happens, we start thinking where did we go wrong. But Linda, we did not.
That ending is really powerful. I decided early on not to become a teacher, as I saw the emotional strain on my parents. It sure is a tough job. Best of luck.
totally awesom close i love that line "heavy clouds of broken kids." that is perfection......
Wow Linda - that is gripping and seems to ring as a true event.
The writing was splendid.
"under the heavy clouds
of broken kids."
how poignant and disturbing...
...rob
Really strong poem. Whats happening to the world?
Linda, a powerful poem. How heartsick it makes me. Best to you and your school.
Lifting Up Prayer for You, Your School and this child whom is really needing help.
I have been reading up on the brain. A lot can effect it. Our brains don't fully develop till we are 25 yrs of age. So we need to protect it.
Brain injury, tumor in a certain part of the brain, can cause people to want to take other peoples lives.
Diet, overgrowth of yeast in the body, drugs,chemicals, even if the spine isn't set right can effect the brain and it's function.
Powerful Poem!
God Bless You and Yours!!!
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