Just Listen
Teachers. Students
Learn. Teach. Yes, but
Open your ears. Widen your eyes
See the students as students, not chameleons.
Just listen to the sighs, groans of the children
Sitting in the seats, forced to learn about commas,
About oxidation-reduction, about cells, about llamas,
And they don’t care about the learning in the brick building.
They worry about how to may for college when the amount
Is becoming this consuming, black, monstrous money machines.
How can we get ahead in life? Hear our cries! Feed our dreams!
How can we make something of ourselves? To you, we don’t count.
We want to know we matter. We want to know you care. We want to know
—no matter what—we will have your support. We need you to teach, educate
So we don’t have to continue the cycle of our families. We need you to cultivate
Our knowledge to make something of ourselves. It’s your show. It’s our show.
Hear the blows of the punches. The evil jeers. “Nerd” “Geek” “Fag” “Fat”
They fill the hallways—you choose not to hear. They resonate, loudly
Inescapably. What do we do? Victims cry. Bystanders watch, silently
You can stop this when no one else can. All it takes, is a chat.
See the scars. The ones we try so hard to hide, but want so
Much to be seen. By you. You can change. We can change
The world, but first we need you to craftily arrange
Help. So we can move forward. We’re tired of “No.”
We need you. You are the present. We are
The future, dwindling. Drowning in hope
Lessness. Striving for hope.
Just listen.