Poetry with Morel

I know that the world is forever changing and do believe that change is good, I regularly leave comments in people’s social media post, giving encouragement that we should be change agents and look to the future. Change can offer great opportunities, some new ideas introduced into society can change people’s perspective on life; change can however also create confusion and generate conflict, leading to people concluding that not all change is good. Let me give you an example.

I was doing some cover teaching with a group of secondary students (boys and girls) age 13. It was a rowdy group, or perhaps my class management technique was not good that Monday morning, it was the first time meeting the group, and it was a bit of a challenge getting the students to open their books and to start working. I recall that the loudest conversation was about a football match that took place at the weekend. One boy in particular was playing-up, he was very animated and wanted to demonstrate to the class how a footballer scored a goal. I recalled that I gave him several warnings to sit down, he was not in listening mood, he stood-up and then announced that he was standing because he must go to the toilet because he was on his period. Yes, the boy told me that he was having his period. I told him to sit, because boys don’t have periods. Well, of course he told me that I was discriminating against him, and that he can have a period. He went on to tell me that if I think that he looks like a boy, I’m wrong to think so because he is a girl, and anyway people are allowed to be what they want to be, and I must allow him to leave the room because he was having his period. Well, I understand that people nowadays can choose to self identify gender, and the student in question had learned that information and was now exercising his rights to self-identification. I guess that I am supposed to respect the student’s self-identification and refer to him as a she, and furthermore he as a she is having a period. I failed abysmally to comply with the request for him to leave the classroom due to a period. The incident created quite a laugh for the rest of the class, he was clearly toying with me, pushing boundaries, testing his new found knowledge about identities. Ordinarily, I would have allowed him to go to the toilet, but not due to a period. The overall message here is that I do embrace change, but there are some societal changes that can create a dilemma. With this in mind here is a poem penned by me where I take the perspective (wear the shoes) of someone who is often questioned about their gender.?

DAME?

It’s been a heck of a day

Oh, apparently I’m strange

They say I’m beautifully made?

But too strong to be a dame?

It’s driving them crazy

Frazzling their minds

Its making them uneasy

I can see it in their eyes

My difference is worn with pride???????

But its threatening their mindset

Causing them dissonance of mind????

Poor folks, hope they can sleep tonight

(Morel Benard)

Following on from the above story, I’m reminded about a recent incident concerning a London schoolgirl. This story made national news in the UK, and I’m sure it can be found further afield. According to what was reported in the news, a schoolgirl was identified as having association with drugs, teaching staff reported the allegation to the police and the police visited the school to strip search the schoolgirl whilst on school premises. The school failed to contact the girl’s parents, and the school’s Safeguarding staff did not intervene to protect the child. The news report says that when the schoolgirl was strip searched, she was having a period at the time and she was made to expose her bloody private parts to the police, leaving the poor child humiliated, psychologically damaged. No drugs (illegal substance) was found on the child. Schools and Police clearly need to implement some changes so that such matters are treated in a more respectful way. Here is a poem based on the news story:?

SCHOOLGIRL

She went to school to learn

But they stripped her bare

London Met violating a child

She bled, period, they stared

At her nakedness, pubic hair

Within the confines of school

The poor child was abused

You’ll find it in the latest news

London schoolgirl violated

School Safeguarding didn’t care

(Morel Benard)?

My first Poetry book to make children smile will soon be self-published on Amazon, I’ll give you the link when it is done. I’m currently working on some artwork for the book. I also have a Writing Poetry page on my Study Coach website. See link below:

www.studycoachuk.com?

Wishing you all the best for now, have a great weekend - have fun. ?