Hello, readers!
For this week’s “Poem of the Week,” I’ve decided to experiment a little with my poetry and try my hand at a reverse sestina. This particular topic as such was kind of a risk for me to subject to this little “experiment” of sorts, seeing as it’s one that I wish someone, myself included, had had the guts to bring to the table a good twenty, twenty-five years ago—well before this decade’s concerns against bullying came to be. Regardless, any compliments or critiques of my work are welcome, as they will help me determine whether or not it’s worth using this format for future compositions. In the meantime, here’s When Teachers Are the Bullies.
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When Teachers Are the Bullies
July 10, 2014
It’s bad enough for kids to have to cope with bullies,
But when said bullies are teachers, that’s a whole other problem.
Such unprofessional conduct should never be tolerated.
In this day and age when people are concerned about bullies
Ragging on other kids and causing all sorts of problems,
It makes me wonder whether or not people tolerate
“Grownups” resorting to such destructive, obnoxious conduct—
Especially when such “grownups” happen to be teachers
Who use their power to humiliate and intimidate kids.
As if bullying itself wasn’t already as it is a problem,
We must also cope with the offensive, unethical conduct
Of teachers who, instead of fostering wisdom and confidence in kids,
Burden them with the anger they still have towards their own teachers
Or their insecurities in general, which is somehow tolerated
By those who don’t have it to confront them for being bullies.
So blatant are they, too, with their abusive conduct
That they become more like dictators than they do teachers,
Wielding words like weapons as would other bullies
To “put in place” kids whom they somehow fail to tolerate
Not because said students happen to be bad kids,
But because they don’t fit some superficial mold. Some problem!
Apparently, it’s a rule for some teachers
To fit kids to certain archetypes, which is hard to tolerate
On account of such behavior being the root of the problem
Known as bigotry, which we always try to tell kids
Is ignorant and judgmental and thus makes them naught but bullies
On account of its being the root of much blindly spiteful conduct—
Crimes against humanity that most people refuse to tolerate,
And yet, these teachers show the same hostility towards kids
Whom they fail to understand, hence their cruel conduct
Of constantly singling them out and harassing them like bullies
Using insulting, manipulative language which later on causes problems:
Shellshock, anxiety, self-loathing…and all because these teachers
Made it their business to ravage the psyches of these kids
And make their lives miserable worse than can any other bully.
It’s a sickening shame that such heartless, spineless “teachers”
“Teach” these kids about suffering by deliberately causing such problems.
The only thing worse is how their outrageous conduct
Remains unchallenged for years when it never should be tolerated.
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That should do it for this week. Until next time, though, people, remember this: The only way to combat bullying is to speak up about it. Nobody should have to put up with others harassing him or her for their own benefit, especially not any child or adolescent. This especially holds true for when the bully in question is a teacher or other “grownup” who hasn’t grown up himself or herself.
As any rate, thank you all for stopping by, and don’t be afraid to check out my author pages at Smashwords.com, Amazon.com, and Amazon.co.uk. Also, as mentioned before, feedback is welcome for this new format so that I know what kind of poems to compose for you all in the future. Aside from that, folks, happy reading!
Regards,
Dustin M. Weber
AuthorDustinWeber 