Blackhawk Demonstration
- 12 minutes ago
- 1 min read
By Christopher Barry
When the JROTC program landed
outside my classroom window
and it became impossible to talk
over the roar of the great thing
we went outside to watch the maneuvers.
And if I had known the authentic joy
the sound of it all and the sight
of leaves and grass in downwash
as the thing lifted and then tilted
nose-down while it ascended and pitched
brought to the group of boys who could
not otherwise take anything seriously,
who despite their constant laughter
at everything, never seem to enjoy anything,
I would have brought blankets and snacks
to make a picnic and taken
pictures to send to families
of their seniors looking like the little boys
they must have been when all it took
was a dump truck backing up or
a bulldozer snorting exhaust to make them stop
and point and make sure that everyone else
was seeing the thing they were seeing
which so often we fail to see
and is why one day they noticed us not looking
and so stopped pointing
because they found others who would look
who saw the thing for what it was
and the joy it contained.
Christopher Barry teaches English and runs long distances. His work has appeared in "Rising Phoenix Review," "Northern New England Review," "the Henniker Review" and "The Golden Hour.”
