What Was That You Said

by Michael L. Newell

Now and again, here and there,

in a classroom some student

refuses to give an expected answer,

and utters words not spoken before

in such a setting -- and the roof lifts

and windows open, and a wind

sweeps through cleaning out the dust,

the inertia, the boredom, the mindless

repetition which infects such environments.

And the teacher, stunned at first, bursts

into laughter and delighted dance,

and the students take over the lesson

and someone actually learns something

unexpected and worth wrapping up

and taking home for further contemplation.

                                    La Paz, Bolivia, December 2008