We wait, we hope, we trust, we know?

Today's impossible dream: helping my students apply characterization to a story in an age-appropriate, culture-appropriate, down-to-earth, [insert own catch-phrase hyphenated description here] manner.

"Describe John Wilson's characterization at the beginning of the story."

"He was in Vietnam."

"Yes, he was a Vietnam veteran, but what was he like as a person?"

[pause]

"Armless."

"Okay, armless. Add that to the list."

"Yeah! He was ugly too!"

"Maybe, but we're focusing on what he was like on the inside."

"But he WAS ugly. He had that nasty hair and dressed like a homeless man!"

"Personality, folks. Inside."

"Ooh! OOOH! He was unemployed!"

"Okay, good descriptions, BUT still failing to answer the original question. Remember back to the first days of school. Your parents maybe asked you what your teachers were like, and you said, "Mr. Correll is AWESOME, Ms. Deaver is weird [lots of heartfelt 'uh-huhs' in the background], Mr. Bailey is loud, Mrs. McKinney is strict but cool, and Mr. Long is incredible. Now pretend like you have to describe John Wilson like that. I'm asking you, what is John Wilson like?"

"Nice."

"Okay, that's a start."

And so it goes.

October Storm

Bells on bough,
Once stretching every vein and chlorophyll-green cell to its bursting point--
Now huddled and clustered
Like old bankers in black wool trench coats
Waiting for a bus to work
In a wet, grey London morning.
You hold your head down and companions close,
As if together you will be stronger--
Bearing folded wings against the whipping wind.

Shiver, tremble, quiver.
Vibrate.
Resonate!

Stir the air with frantic circles.
Cling!
Cling by a thread--
Fibers so thin and dry they may
Snap
At any moment.

You hush my hurry,
Shushing louder than any schoolteacher
During an exam.

On inhospitable heights you--
Lonely in community--
Wave, whip, tinkle,
Tolling the untold,
The silent.
Calling, "Courage!"
With mute lips
And loud limbs.

Ring for me,
You hopeless lot.

Ring your melody of bravery
Until your grip is lost,
Strands tearing our mutual tension
To shreds.
And you fall,
Tumbling, in dizzying concentric circles,
Terrified at the void
And lost forever.