stdnt sks
hw s th flyng thng splld?
tchr sys
ll th sft lttrs hv blwn ff
spll brd
lk brd
tchr tlls stry
frst mnfst dstny
th bffl wr hntd nd skltns stckd
th ntv ppl wr pshd n slghtrd
tk wht th y cn s
thn crps plntd nd plntd nd plntd nd plntd
thn dry nd ht nd dry nd cld nd dry nd ht
thn rbbts nd rbbts nd rbbts
thn mn clbbd ll th rbbts
pld nd lghd
vrythng brnd
ll th ppl thrstd nd th lnd crckd
brd jst lft bfr snrs nd snst
brd dsspprd
thn nsts mpty
stdnt sks
wht hppnd t brd?
tchr sys
brd sys n brnchs t prch nd crps cllps nd hrvsts nd n wrms s hngry
brd sys spk sky spk
drk spk
ll thngs trnd psdwn
thn blw wy
nd trnds nd hrrcns nd wrs nd dss
nd nthng lvng
stdnt sks
dd brd knw?
tchr nswrs
brd knw trd t spk
thrt splt
brd ndd wtr
stdnt sys
whts wtr?
Copyright © 2020 by Anthony Cody. Originally published in Poem-a-Day on October 2, 2020, by the Academy of American Poets.