Sixteen children watched
as I played a video of unimaginable horror.
The planet misbehaving
water turning into tumbling concrete
boats heaved up mountainsides
helplessness too small a word.
It is important
to bring the world into the classroom
and I put my misgivings aside
trusting the children to understand.
They had seen the images already,
could say 'Tsunami',
didn't laugh, though the scene was ridiculous.
I was proud of them.
Perhaps we will write to Japanese children
and wish them well.
Ten minutes later,
Harvey pushed Aaron off his chair
and all hell broke loose.
Mar 16, 2011
Mar 16, 2011 at 12:54 PM UTC
Sixteen children watched
as I played a video of unimaginable horror.
The planet misbehaving
water turning into tumbling concrete
boats heaved up mountainsides
helplessness too small a word.
It is important
to bring the world into the classroom
and I put my misgivings aside
trusting the children to understand.
They had seen the images already,
could say 'Tsunami',
didn't laugh, though the scene was ridiculous.
I was proud of them.
Perhaps we will write to Japanese children
and wish them well.
Ten minutes later,
Harvey pushed Aaron off his chair
and all hell broke loose.
- From Also Available Free
Request permission to use this poem