The State of Education 10/14

The state of education,
the state education,
education in this state
makes me have pipeline to prison conversations
with my middle schoolers while fixin' dinner
and listening to the drivin' while black conversation
in social studies,
but that is social studies, right?
capitalism coupled with a war on drugs
birthed the bastard called no child left behind,
while my children almost learn as much as I did in the 4th grade
and teaching is so much less than inspiration.
My kids don't learn their beauty reflecting
in the daily leadership,
b/c the publishers have chosen a different font
and the paragraph about self reflection through history
are on the floor somewhere.
My kids walk a line even finer than I did
and they dance that tightrope like Ruby Dee,
tiny feet balancing choices Momma never thought she'd have to make,
with ease and grace.
Yup, the beautiful souls of black folks spread in the smiles
of the little girls I birthed,
who still trust the world,
even though Harris Teeter calls security when we walk through,
 and laugh at the foolishness,
cry at and with the fear,
comfort the strangers,
and keep it moving.
Education in this state,
the state education,
The state of education.