The Truth

A quiet history class

A midwinters day,

In order to pass

We all must say

      our opinion on an issue

yes or no

pick a side

stay or go

you cannot hide

     the teacher asks us to choose

a student stops

and takes a breath

a pencil drops

the sound of death

     blown into a tissue

studying race

and slavery days

when with the pace

a student says

     crap i spilled my booze