In response to Cassie's prose poetry on the left

I wept when I read this. The language, the images. I am impressed, astounded, envious, of your words. I think that we can all be inspired to write by each other. I have been bragging all week about you, my seniors. You are so enthusiastic, so alive. You have given me a great gift this year, when there are so many influences local, state, and federal banging at my temple to remove the personal, the creative, the individual that is me from the equation of my teaching. I fill out forms and I use templates and I give standardized tests, the same to everyone. The great equalizeducation. And then Cassie, after a quick conversation after school sends me something so personal, so lovely, so beyond the expectations and frankly the comprehension of those in charge of all this square pegging, and I melt. I want to be your teacher. I want to inspire you the way you inspire me to work harder; not to get students to achieve test scores and digital portfolio and performance tasks. This here, this is performance- based success, the kind that isn't put into a template or on a computer screen and displayed in a graphically pleasing manner. Organic, natural, personal, inspiring - education - my performance enhancing drug.
GO Periods 6&7!!! Poetry Slam '08!