I am The Sulphur That Grows Between The Rocks

 I Was A Teacher That Didn’t Teach

I am not a strong woman.

I am not a rock.

I am the sulphur flower that grows

between the rocks

and stands out 

amongst the irregular biceps and triceps

that created my missteps.

Today, I am that flower that blooms

underneath the heaviness.

The real pandemic was,

a syllabus filled with systemic sensationalism

and a curriculum that encouraged cowardice?

Each time I opened my mouth to speak,

those were only mumblings from manifestations

of a mother of 4 children who needed to eat.

And so I muttered,

Words.

Things.

And gave out faded gold stars from a faded smile.

The children scored As and Bs

and the world applauded them,

because the world likes faded gold stars

and faded smiles

that they can control.

The feisty and friendly children of the world.

International but not intentional.

Parents gawked at me.

The dwarf conifer that couldn’t grow.

I was a teacher that didn’t teach.

My mind was in its own lockdown

Long before the world locked down

And then

  The axis shifted

THE. WORLD. LOCKED. DOWN

They felt what I had felt

Movement without actually moving.

And as the world was locked,

this dwarf conifer

began to stand out amongst the rocks.

Do you see that crevice dweller,

The happy hue underneath the heaviness?

I am the happy hue

The dwarf that grew.

I am a Teacher now

And I start by teaching myself.

I learn how flowers can grow amongst the rocks

I learned how to tolerate droughts

I learned that the worst lockdown

Is when the mind is locked down

And that pandemics are internal.

I am a Teacher.

Creating a curriculum of courage

Synthesizing syllabi from dreams and destiny

Opening young and old minds

to dwell amongst the rocks.

We are not strong women

We are the sulphur flowers amongst the rocks.

                                                                            ……

Copyright:  Beverley Nambozo Nsengiyunva