And somehow our current events discussion turned
to democracy

and schools

and why we attend.

Everyone wanted a turn to speak.

One 6'1", 230 pound, fourteen-year-old
anarchist with baggy clothes,
a mohawk dyed magic-marker-black,
hands the color of old lace,
and a brilliant, tattooed heart
said in a voice that was careful calligraphy,

"I'll never understand why we can't just vote
to get away
from all of you
tyrannical,
power hungry,
over-bearing teachers

who keep trying to control us
while we sit here

seething.

If somebody doesn't want to make something of himself,
he ought to just be able to stay home and be a junkie

or whatever,

and if somebody else thinks junkies are a burden to society,
then he ought to be able to go to that junkies' house
and shoot him."

©Copyright Jack Martin