with bright upturned faces
greet me at the classroom door.
I meet Julian
and Tasha
and Cole
and many others.
We speak of haiku
and poems about cats,
nymphs and goblins.
They listen
and bubble with questions:
Can I read you my poem?
What is your favorite poem?
and, from a charming young journalist, head cocked:
What magazines are on your coffee table at home?
The room vibrates
with the open-hearted, uninhibited creativity
that comes from smart kids
who still know that we all can create something beautiful,
who haven't been told that they can't.
I leave feeling buoyant and blessed.
