learning to read

poetry

fearing eye
contact voices
barely audible
and hands

shaking

i watched them read
the words that they
poured so much
timelifeemotionpainhope
into

proud to take
their pain then, like
alchemists with baggy pants
or big hoop earrings,
create something
incredible releasing
it into the stifling
early summer indoor air
of the partially lit
library

i watched this all
and hoped they
would never forget
what it means to
really
speak.

6 thoughts on “learning to read”

Leave a comment