Maxwell Baumbach’s most recent poem to appear here was Summer Haze. The transitioning of ideas in this poem is particularly strong. I read it to my twin sixth graders in hopes they would hear the message. They got the first part of it but I have some work to do getting them to the concluding concept. Difficult concept for many of us though.
Lessons Learned by a Fifth Grader on 9/11
By Maxwell Baumbach
By Maxwell Baumbach
this
is hate
not the vegetables that you don’t want to eat
or your older sister that picks on you sometimes
or the kid who doesn’t play basketball with you at recess
THIS
is hate
some people wish you were dead
now
more people wish death
on other people
most of whom don’t deserve it
spherical disdain rotates
the axis of the earth
This is perfect.
Great lessons.