On Reading Poems to a Senior Class At South High

Before
I opened my mouth
I noticed them sitting there
as orderly as frozen fish
in a package.

Slowly water began to fill the room
though I did not notice it
till it reached
my ears

and then I heard the sounds
of fish in an aquarium
and I knew that though I had
tried to drown them
with my words
that they had only opened up
like gills for them
and let me in.

Together we swam around the room
like thirty tails whacking words
till the bell rang
puncturing
a hole in the door

where we all leaked out

They went to another class
I suppose and I home

where Queen Elizabeth
my cat met me
and licked my fins
till they were hands again.
- D.C. Berry


While reading this poem I realized that Berry was comparing fish to his students. In the first stanza he talks about how he notices them sitting there as orderly as frozen fish and I pictured a classroom full of students who are all sitting forward, quiet and listening to the teacher. (even though that doesnt happen very often) The 2nd stanza says "slowly water began to fill the room though I did not notice it till it reached my ears." reading that I thought about how loud a classroom gets as more students fill the room. To me this poem seems like an allusion to how a teacher views their classroom and students, as well as what goes on during their day. It is a really good poem and it isn't as sad or dark as the other poems. ;)