English Teacher's Poem

The following poem took a long time to write.  It includes references to several popular writers, all of whom I suggest you read.  Langston Hughes, George Orwell, Ray Bradbury (Fahrenheit 451), and the venerable Robert Frost (The Road Not Taken).

It was written on the heals of teaching Bradbury's classic, "Fahrenheit 451."  I strongly recommend reading that book.  If you do, you will realize that you need to read everything you can, before they come and burn our books... sooner than you think.

Going, Going, Gone

Why are people ok with ok?

Mediocrity is the new excellence.

Extraordinary was tossed into a dumpster

like an unwanted baby

wrapped in a dirty blanket.

forgotten

left for dead

I dreamed once that someone stood

for something.

That someone younger than I

finally had enough of

the meaningless and mundane.

began to seek beauty

truth

What a dream to wake from

Sorry Robert.

We chose the wrong road.

The worn-down path of the downtrodden

and worthless

for the sake of entertainment.

Sorry George.

We stopped writing well.

Now they think for us –

Hollywood and the corporations

the government –

(of the people and for the people?

I am beginning to think not)

Sorry Langston.

We had to find a different dream to defer

A dream of excellence and free-thinking

shriveling like a raisin

sagging like a heavy load

Sorry Mr. Bradbury.

We took the shot from the weapon

And once this explodes

I fear there will be no one to quote Milton

or Ecclesiastes this time.