Words Can Heal
Last night, I attended a virtual session
called “Words Can Help Heal: Helping You and Students Through Trauma”
and Chris Crutcher said, “{Columbine} was 9/11 for educators.”
One more thing
to fall on the shoulders of teachers,
especially English teachers…
To read, to write
To write to heal trauma
Naomi Shihab Nye said, “It will never be okay.
“It will only be further away.”
Narrative medicine
Poetic prescription
A remedy of rants
Lists as anesthetic
There is no cure
that the United States can find.
Astonishing.
When I was in high school, I read a novel
in which a character repeatedly said, “Astonishing!”
Towards the end of the novel, another character said something like,
I think that every time you say ‘astonishing,’ you mean ‘bullshit.’
and Chris Crutcher said, “{Columbine} was 9/11 for educators.”
Naomi Shihab Nye said, “It will never be okay.
“It will only be further away.”
There is no cure
that the United States can find.
Astonishing.
7 thoughts on "Words Can Heal"
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Love the disjointed nature of this poem and the way much of it gets repeated, just like how our minds cycle when tragedies like this happen.
Tragedy calls out the poet in us and the repetitions calls us back.
By the way, you chose a great and apt title…
This poem spoke to me!
Repetition weaves with meaning perfectly.
Astonishing indeed! Thanks for sharing!
and Chris Crutcher said, “{Columbine} was 9/11 for educators.”