Finding My Soft Heart

 Initially inspired by the poem "Your Soft Heart" by Nikita Gill

Part One

My heart has not always felt

so soft toward my 5th period class

a strong contingent of boys

and a couple out-of-control girls

Some quiet ones always 

on the sidelines

the lunch period, so extra 

time with them

But this week I was asking my classes

of 7th and 8th graders

What's the hardest thing about growing up?

and class after class said many of the same things:

school and homework

losing friends

someday having to pay for everything ourselves

thinking of the past and knowing we can't go back

understanding the realities of the world

It was all expected, pretty ordinary

But when I got to 5th period, there

was something that hadn't popped up earlier

One boy wrote:

You know that people love you, but they don't really like you.

One girl simply said:

Being alone

And it was mentioned at least two more times

My soft heart made an adjustment right then.

My determination to be kind to them

no matter how irritating they were, 

increased.

My plans altered.

Now all I can think is:

What is one small thing I can do in the days left

to make them feel less alone?

 

How can I let them know they will always be needed?

 

Part Two [Triolet]

I always kind of knew

It's about their broken hearts

They are masking feeling blue

I always kind of knew

So I need to yield to what is true 

They are not just upstarts

I always kind of knew

It's about their broken hearts