No joke

The third week of school 

I asked the students

In my most difficult class

For feedback about 

What I could do differently

They said talk less

And always make sure

They have something to do

How can I possibly describe 

The gravity of those requests

I am talking to figure out 

What I want to say

I am talking to learn how 

Electricity works 

I am talking to take up

Space in the room

I am talking to soothe

My frets about control

Sometimes I am talking

Because a middle schooler

Is acting the way they act before 

They attempt to jump off 

The second story stairwell

No joke! 

On a good day I can measure

My mouth and thoughts

I can pause my voice 

And listen to them laugh

And explain electromagnetism 

Like actually really well

I can coil wire around a nail

And connect it to a battery and

Show them magic