Our greatest national resource is the minds of our children.
—Walt Disney
When they are hungry
who would give them rocks
When they cry for a spark
who would spew water
When they strive to see
who would deploy smoke and mirrors
When they would fly
who would clip their wings
When they desire to go further up, further in
who would confine, constrain
When they crave autonomy
who would demand automatons
When their differences resemble a separate peace
who would distill a disparate piece
When the lengths they must travel are not equidistant
who would mistake equality for equity
When they carry fragile fragments of hope within
who would build a diehard dystopia without
When they begin to perceive diversity as a gift
who would wrap it in sameness
When they aren’t the same
who would construct uniform boxes
When they would breathe
who would affix a lid
When the scraping of the adze and the hammering cease
who will hear the sound of fingernails
from inside
the casket of our dichotomies?
Note: If you read “they” as children, try reading with “they” as teachers.
*******
Literary allusions: Matthew 7:9-10 and Luke 11:11-12; The Last Battle, C.S. Lewis; A Separate Peace, John Knowles; Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell; The Giver, Lois Lowry; To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee; As I Lay Dying, William Faulkner.
lit bits and pieces 
so much to think about, and I love the teacher/student substitution at the end….. The equitable rather than equal message is so needed….and attempts to be color blind only make us blind……to the richness of our differences
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much for this reflective response.
LikeLike
Oh my goodness, this poem gave/is giving me chills. I feel this in my bones and your invitation to re-read it understanding “they” as teachers, adds another layer of WOW. Congratulations! This poem works from beginning to end. Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I so appreciate your reading and your response – deepest thanks.
LikeLike
This is poignant. I get the Faulkner allusion (one of my favorite writer) and many others. I had a conversation w/ a young colleague about many of these ideas last night. Sadly, it’s often other teachers who get in the way of those who seek to break out of the ties that bind. We don’t like to talk about it in education, but among many there is a culture of mediocrity.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“A culture of mediocrity” – what a raw and truthful phrase. I so appreciate this thoughtful response, Glenda.
LikeLike
Powerful. I want to reread with the lens of “teacher” as I read with “children” first. Thanks Fran!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank YOU, Kathleen 🙂
LikeLike
Your post leaves me with so much to think about in both voices. I’ll need to return to read after I’ve had coffee. Thank you for your thought provoking words.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much for reading, Christine!
LikeLike
Powerful! Thanks for suggesting we switch voices and read again. I found myself forgetting to breathe as I read… and then your concluding lines totally took away my breath. Thank you, Fran.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Alice – thank you so much for reading and for this response! It means a lot.
LikeLike
Did these amazing thoughts and words come to you in parts over time or all at once? Either way – total inspiration. So much to think about here. And not just with children and teachers, although that dichotomy itself is intriguing. But isn’t this the way of the world these days?
LikeLiked by 1 person
First – thank you for this response! In a moment of despair months ago, the idea came to me. I started and stopped it numerous times. So it came in bits and pieces … I feared I’d never finish it. Yes, there’s many opposing forces at work in the world, for sure – and people who pay the price,
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh this is fantastic! The ending is so powerful. You should seek to have this published! There is so much here to think about and chew on, no matter which lens you read it through. Beautiful work!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, my -! I am very grateful for your thoughts and words.
LikeLike
I am speechless! Love the twist of reading it from multiple perspectives and the lingering questions. Truly thought provoking!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, truly – I thought I’d never get this finished!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agree wth speechlessness. The tight craft, the harsh contrasts, the hopelessness. And then you dared us to change the central character and reconsider. Dichotomies
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Susan – so much.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a beautiful and thought-provoking poem. This is one that will stay with me for a long time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks so much, Rita!
LikeLike
I think this is a poem that would bear many readings and much reflection, especially if you add readings of the literature alluded to. Also an encouragement to stay with a big idea, writing and rewriting.
LikeLike