Word (Katherine Stelly Watson-Lafayette LA)

"Word"

“Why we gots to read this old stuff? The way they talks is stupid.”

Teaching Shakespeare is quite an endeavor
Especially, to students who read hardly ever

But breaking down the fear of Shakespeare
Is only possible if students persevere

And once they realize they can connect
They are enchanted by Romeo and Juliet

Immortal words cast a spell
And their interest I cannot quell

They are miffed by how much they delight
In one of literature’s greatest plights

Slowly, they begin to see literature’s mission
Which is to communicate the human condition

After each day’s reading, they begin to understand
The power of words written by hand

I look forward to each day’s tomorrow
Because students would say, “Parting is such sweet sorrow”

I observe how the student who said, “The way they talks is stupid”
Now departs the class and into the herd
And he walks with a new respect for the power of a word.

Comments

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