I taught my Shakespeare group yesterday. They are so amazing. But one thing occured that was just too priceless. Instead of giving them an assigned topic for their journal writing, I taught them the basics of writing haiku poetry. After sharing some of mine, I asked them to write their own. I then asked if any of them would like to share what they had written. Many of them chose to share and I was just sitting there basking in the amazing work that I was hearing. Then...it happened...I had been randomly perusing the offerings before the students stood up to read them because there are a couple of kids in there who might try to do something a bit off color. But then Daniel stood up to present his haiku. He started to hand me his paper but I said, "Oh Daniel, you need not do that, I trust you." I should have been warned by his behavior. He turned very red and turned away from me and started to sit back down. I can, occasionally, be naive and so I did not read the signs and I told him to stop being shy and to stand up and read his poem to us. Everyone laughed because there are few less shy than Daniel. He looked at me and said, "Really, are you sure?" I still did not get it and told him to go ahead. So...here was his offering...
Toilet Bowl
Pain is coming fast
The screams come in long, loud waves
Splash. Thud. The pain's gone.
Daniel stood there. There was a moment of dead silence and then we ALL lost it. It caught me so off guard that I did snort. I hate that because once a group of kids learns that about me, they never let me live it down. But I was hopelessly lost in laughter. It was a funny haiku, but the entire exchange beforehand when I had avowed to my total trust in Daniel just set it up so perfectly. It was a priceless moment. We had been struggling coming together as a group, which is so necessary in this first semester as we prepare to create a Shakepeare production in the second semester. I have been praying and pondering on how to bring this group together. Daniel and his bowel movement haiku may have been just the ticket. The entire timbre of the room changed and we were of one mind. I think that me and the two other mentors in this project were able to build well on the moment and we had, by far, our best class of the year after our little haiku exercise. I love the way these things can work.
