Your voice is like a whispering breeze,

the sound of sweatpants rubbing.

Swish, swish, swish. Choke.

Why are you stopping?

Keep going.

Teach me something.

Speak louder! Or have you

forgotten the feeling of sculpting

young people, like lumps of soft clay,

into marvelous jars and goblets,

with nothing but words?

You hold power in

your voice

whether you still believe

or not. So please keep sharing

your subject of choice, the thing

that was your passion but is now dying.

Don’t let doubts keep dampening

your resolve to nurture us.

Don’t let your wisdom

go to waste.

You can make a difference.

Renew your eager, ardent teaching

and keep investing in students, smiling.

If learning is air, don’t be breezy—be windy.