Three Blocks
Three blocks separate gangs, drugs, violence from scholars,
But, three blocks protect no one from the street brawlers.
A block away is an unprovoked battlefield,
Forcing the damaged to seek a better shield.
School transcends learning algebra and history;
it’s a safe zone for refugees of misery.
Plague of crime eradicates hope of the future
Without the identity of the abuser.
Good education prides itself as a gateway
Out of poverty into a world of safety.
Drawing praises is an eternal reminder
that hope and equity and fairness are kinder.
Valuable abstract qualities are explored
in hopes that all people learn to be in accord.
One day, people will join hands and walk across a bridge
to symbolize a connection along the ridge.
**“A Brooklyn School’s Curriculum Includes Ambition” by Winnie Hu
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/14/nyregion/a-brooklyn-schools-curriculum-includes-ambition.html?ref=education
Three blocks separate gangs, drugs, violence from scholars,
But, three blocks protect no one from the street brawlers.
A block away is an unprovoked battlefield,
Forcing the damaged to seek a better shield.
School transcends learning algebra and history;
it’s a safe zone for refugees of misery.
Plague of crime eradicates hope of the future
Without the identity of the abuser.
Good education prides itself as a gateway
Out of poverty into a world of safety.
Drawing praises is an eternal reminder
that hope and equity and fairness are kinder.
Valuable abstract qualities are explored
in hopes that all people learn to be in accord.
One day, people will join hands and walk across a bridge
to symbolize a connection along the ridge.
**“A Brooklyn School’s Curriculum Includes Ambition” by Winnie Hu
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/14/nyregion/a-brooklyn-schools-curriculum-includes-ambition.html?ref=education