Praying in My Classroom
A pilgrim looking for miracles,
I move from desk to desk,
reading the notes my students scribble
in their composition books,
their tender words
crawling across the page like lizards seeking light.
One of them writes of how he swept the horse stalls
before filling them again with fresh straw.
One writes of cement gushing from the chute of a truck—
the foundation for the family’s new home;
another of an early morning walk with his flock of sheep
before the sun ignites Tsé Bit’ A’í and it becomes
a fiery winged creature rising from the desert floor;
another of the rusty nails that pierced both his heels
three summers ago
as he scampered across a pile of old lumber behind his hogan—
he says you can still see the scars;
still another of how she torments
her younger sister without mercy—
“There’s something cruel in me,” she writes,
“and it wants Kelsey to hurt, hurt, hurt.”
And I pray:
Dear God,
even the prophets were not blessed like this!
I am standing on holy ground.
Do not remove my feet from this place
now or ever.
Amen.
© 2011 by Magical Mystical Teacher
More The Sunday Whirl #16 here
More The Poetry Pantry #61 here
More Postcards from Paradise here
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Posted on August 7, 2011, in classroom, holy ground, Monday Poetry Train Revisited, my poetry, poetry, Postcards from Paradise, praying, students, teacher, teaching, The Poetry Pantry, The Sunday Whirl, writing. Bookmark the permalink. 17 Comments.
This piece speaks to my heart and soul. I teach literacy and work with struggling readers. When they get going with writing, and I wander the room….you captured this experience in such a beautiful way. You brought it to the realm of the sacred. Thank you.
What a gift this morning to see inside the classroom. Very well written. Thank you for sharing
How do you determine the line of trying to help or letting it be. Being a teacher is not what it used to be that’s for sure.
this is what we listen for…
ears to the heavens and back
hoping for that small thread to unravel
to take us …by storm.
fire brightening in the young new voices of soul,
suddenly
sacred in ordinary.
pulling this thread with fascination from the fabric of life,
everything is possible.
thank you for each step, each encouragement, each child called out to holy ground.
yes, never stop!
What children have to say can be so entreating, intriguing, and insightful. Wonderfully shared.
This is wonderful, and yes let your feet remain there securely with your heart!
Sue x
Feet planted squarely in paradise.
Love the way you used the wordle words to show very diverse snippits, yet flowing all in one poem. Great idea!
As for your place–and prayer–in the classroom. Indeed holy ground. Blessings on you in the coming school year.
~Paula
Wonderful to the their imaginations take to flight …. Lovely imagery used.
That is beautiful!!
Beautifully done and in your own special style that I like very much!! It has truth it has humor and so much simplicity flows. I love the raw rustic touch you give to whatever you write!!
“crawling across the page like lizards seeking light.” excellent and the prayer at the end outstanding!!
“Dear God,
even the prophets were not blessed like this!
I am standing on holy ground.
Do not remove my feet from this place
now or ever.
Amen.”
Your blog title accurately reflects the wonderful teacherly spirit behind this poem. The wordle words remained camouflaged in your lovely writing. Thank you.
For some reason that escapes me, the wrong blog address came up. Correct on this reply.
A teacher shares love
In the classroom, as I do
With my grandchildren.
I am deeply moved by this poem, and totally agree with Nanka.
It is beautifully done, and the love shines through. You have a beautiful soul, my friend.
Cheers!
JzB
It took a long time for me to realize that teachers weren’t emissaries from Satan, sent to make school miserable. With the dawning of that light, worlds opened up to me. Bless you and your brothers and sisters with the mindset and love to be what you are. You reveal so much in a simple poem.
God bless you for the work you’re doing in your classroom. Thanks for sharing some of that with us in such an evocative way, and welcome to the wordle gang.
I love your poem. You’re so lucky to have school children to learn from.