Lost Loft

Mrs. Wong was a real progressive lady.
but now that I think about it
she was a total hippie.
She once built a huge wooden loft
in the corner of the classroom.
I don't know why but
I fucking loved that loft.
The whole class helped set it up
the wood was soft and naturally white.
When it was finally done
we had a read-a-thon
where you sat around the room
with blankets & pillows
snack foods and juice
under little forts
reading books.
Being one of the lucky few that got to sit up in it
eating a Lunchable
in the high upper level
of the loft.
Letting the book in my little hands
take me somewhere else entirely
not feeling like I was in boring ass school.
I love Mrs. Wong for giving us that.
She didn't have to.
She was one of the good ones, the rare ones.
It wasn't just a job for her
she cared about each and everyone of us
and our futures.
She wanted to go above and beyond
the standards set by the public school system.
And the man took it all away from us.
Some higher up saw it
and said it violated fire code.
They took it apart like scavengers in the night
vultures cleaning the bones by moonlight.
The next day we entered the classroom
to find the corner where the loft had been
empty and barren.
Mrs Wong explained to us
that it was all her fault
that she should've check the fire codes
or asked someone.
That day we read books at our desks
and on the rough carpet that had bits of sand all in it.
Mrs Wong was crushed
and so were us kids.
The first of many lost battles,
ah.