For the month of March, I am participating in the Eleventh Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge. That means that I am writing every day for the month of March in the good company of the Two Writing Teachers community.
I have other slices I've written today, but I can't ignore the events of the last couple days.
The passion of students from across the country speaking up and speaking out
overwhelms me,
inspires me,
haunts me.
In some places, their eloquence.
In other places, their empathy.
And in other places--my own town--their defiance.
Their brave and appropriate and informed eloquence, empathy, and defiance--
it overwhelms, inspires, and haunts me.
As an educator, I do understand the administration's intention to keep students safe and to orchestrate a peaceful and educational assembly. But I also understand the purpose of protest. This country's teenagers don't have much power, but they understand how their school have changed, and yesterday was an opportunity to honor victims and also to make it clear that guns in schools--regardless of who's holding them--is not okay with them. That feeling unsafe isn't okay with them. That schools should be places of learning, and not of fear.
Today, I lift lines from our local poem to write a poem in solidarity and support of our students.
Enough
Seventeen.
Seventeen students and staff--
Seventeen dead.
Walkouts, demonstrations,
Students raised their voices.
speeches, chants--
Enough.
Seventeen.
Seventeen--
Dead.
The system is broken.
Are we next?
Our time.
Our time to take charge.
Solemn silence.
Are we next?
The system is broken.
It is our time to take charge.
Seventeen dead.
Enough.
It's Day 16--
Powerful poem and ideas. I've been so impressed with the Parkland school students and how they've inspired other students to speak up. I do believe it is the youth who often push change forward. I pray that change will come with our country's gun laws because I personally believe that is a critical component to this issue. Mental health, more school counselors, and more should be looked at and discussed too- but the guns- that is where we need to start, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteEnough. I too have been inspired by our youth. Please let us learn and make changes so our children can be safe.
ReplyDeleteI felt you wrote two poems in this slice - both beautiful and powerful. Our schools did it yesterday due to the snow. We talked a lot about it as a family last night. Varying points of view among my kids and their friends. It is difficult for sure - on so many levels. These ideas have been percolating in me, but I haven't found the voice to write yet. Thank you for doing so.
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We are in such a difficult place as educators and parents right now. My elementary kids didn't talk about it at all... while the conversations at home were numerous and hard. Thank you for your beautiful poem to help in processing it all.
ReplyDeleteI haven't begun processing the protests and the reactions. Your poem spoke to me and helped me to think about putting 'pen to paper' to explore my feelings about it. That poem is poignant and powerful.
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