Poem : LEAVE THE KIDS ALONE | Tunnel Vision and the Shadows of Influence

Leave the Kids Alone

Interested only in the bygone events
always making a list to do something but never actually achieving
anything,
so, one day you decide to do something about it
so, before the thing disappears right before your eyes
you think of the habits that everybody told you to give up
but you didn’t because you simply couldn’t
can’t afford to do that exact thing,
no matter however much the peace of your existence depended
on it.
Then you realize that the things as they were,
were actually of little to no consequence
to the survivors of the plane crash
beyond the mountains behind the curtains of your classroom
which were right behind you.
In front of you the teacher is trying to teach something
but no effect no feeling no urgency only numbness,
no pain that is both wrong and sacred to feel.
Then you feel scared for yourself as if something’s wrong with
you,
for not enjoying this carelessness.
All that shallow attempts at teaching done
by the self-absorbed teachers who don’t really spare two good
thoughts
about the children that surround them,
they don’t realise that the kids grow up too and then they’ll
think about you.
Measuring the scale on a skinny kid’s hands
who already had a lot of problems in his life
before they handed their crap to him.
Remembering the need of that morning’s promise made to their
mother,
to stay chill whatever the situation will be
because of the vision, to reach the end of the tunnel.
You try to think what’s wrong with your teacher,
he was living in the age of new stars trying.
Trying to move his boat among the people he didn’t belong to.
A man with insecurities and who was quite lost in a big world.
With no pleasures only sacrifices that mean nothing
beyond the uncertainties he moved with grim certainty
that he would fall that he would fail
the kind of teacher who thought it right to sell their problems
to kids,
who were sent to him to teach the kids how not to buy.
Selfish people asked to give lectures on selflessness,
poisoning the young brains with the kind of understanding
that would simply not be firm enough for any sort of civilization
to exist over it.
Nor let any human thoughts and dreams to take a full shape
to reach a person’s full understanding of the things.
Now as a grown up you would like it much better
if you could have a right hand over your children’s teachers
a good thought to spare,
let’s see if you could remember it when it would really matter.

“Leave the Kids Alone” is a reflection on how societal pressures and rigid norms impact young minds. The poem explores the subtle ways these influences shape children, often stifling their natural curiosity and imagination.

When I wrote this piece, I wanted to capture the frustration of living under expectations that don’t align with our personal truths. We often find ourselves caught in a loop, striving to meet standards that seem arbitrary and outdated. This struggle is a central theme of the poem.

In the classroom, the imagery of a plane crash beyond the mountains serves as a symbol for the vivid imagination children possess. This scene, while the teacher drones on, illustrates the disconnect between rote learning and the rich inner worlds of young minds. It highlights how children retreat into their imaginations when the external world fails to engage them.

The poem also touches on the weight of societal expectations. Children are measured against arbitrary standards, adding to their burdens. There’s a moment of self-reflection, where a child remembers a promise made to their mother to stay calm and reach the end of the tunnel, despite the challenges.

The narrative shifts to the teacher, acknowledging his own struggles and insecurities. This subtle recognition shows that societal roles affect everyone. The teacher, lost in his own world, inadvertently projects his fears onto the students, creating a cycle of unresolved issues.

The poem calls for empathy and understanding. As adults, we have the power to influence the next generation. It’s a reminder to be mindful of the lessons we impart and to strive for a more compassionate approach.

Writing “Leave the Kids Alone” was a way to process my own experiences and invite readers to reflect on theirs. It’s an exploration of the subtle, often unnoticed ways we shape young minds and the importance of nurturing their imagination and individuality.