Just Listen

Tue, 12/10/2013 - 20:43 -- reld10

 

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. 

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