Saturday, November 14, 2009

Sunday Scribblings: Oracle

My classroom
had no windows

so knowledge
waltzed around

the space
mingling with our

breath and settling
in the kids’ brains

since it had nowhere
else to go.

We were reading
Antigone and I was

explaining how Danae’s
father had been to an oracle

and discovered
that if she ever had

a son, he would grow
up to kill his grandfather.

To prevent that,
he locked his daughter

in a tower so no man
could get to her.

But he forgot about Zeus
who disguised

himself as a golden
rain and impregnated her.

The kids just stared
at me, thinking,

trying to imagine
that happening.

Finally, one girl asked,
“How?” and before

I could formulate
an answer,

a boy piped up,
“I guess Zeus

forgot his Trojan.”
Laugher

and giggles
somersaulted

and did jumping jacks
all around the room.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Question: Does anyone know how to insert those two little dots above the "e" in Danae? I tried inserting them as a symbol in Word but that just erased the e and added the dots. Thanks!

17 comments:

if said...

what a lovely poem!!

Jeeves said...

Enjoyed this. Felt like I was in the classroom

jabblog said...

I smiled at this - can just imagine it!!
Symbols in Office Word 2007 should add the umlaut (it does on mine and I'm no expert ;-))

Anonymous said...

Good one Linda. I could see the laughter doing its rounds.

Chapter Forty said...

I love the image you paint of knowledge floating around and landing in the children's heads.
C.F.

JP/deb said...

What a funny poem/story!!

Beth Camp said...

Irrepressible energy here. I like how the poem begins with description (that classroom with no windows), and yet ends with humor that has the students sidestepping the larger issues. The father who would lock his daughter up. Zeus who would change his shape to achieve his goal. Nice read.

Anonymous said...

This cute story made me smile this morning...Thanks Linda :)

Dee Martin said...

haha I loved it. You never know what they will say :)
I have a feeling the little guy that was the quick thinker will be one to keep an eye (or ear) on lol

George S Batty said...

great writing. made me smile.
reminded me of when I was a smart ass student.

a mouthy irish woman? ridiculous! said...

this was perfect and i felt myself laughing in that classroom!

love it :)

Jennifer Hicks said...

just lovely!

I love your formatting - makes your wonderfully talent ideas such a pleasure to read!

Tumblewords: said...

I love the energy and laughter of this!

Old Egg said...

Zeus has a lot of offspring to answer for and that pesky umlaut is surely superfluous; especially when you have enchanted us all so much.

Gel said...

Loved many lines
"Knowledge waltzed"
"Giggles somersaulted"
and how priceless that "he forgot his Trojan!"
I have been a teacher in my lifetime so I can imagine this happening. Terrific tale!

(Can you access a symbols or "special characters" place?)

one more believer said...

hello linda that was a delightful read.. down to the simpliest of equation...from the mouth of babes!!!...

gautami tripathy said...

You do know I enjoyed this!

time and time again

Linda's Poems