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A Duck Waddle Walks
by dub W "A duck waddle walks Bunnies hop along the trail The Lord loves them all" Kim Brooks covered her work with her arm and pretended to be thinking. Dr. Samuels walked toward her and tried to look at her paper. "Having trouble Miss Brooks?" She glanced up at him. "Oh, no sir, just working out the beat." "May I look at your work?" He continued to look over her shoulder. Writing haikus had been the classroom assignment, and Kim knew that Dr. Samuels often frowned at students who tried to overtly demonstrate their Christianity in class. Kim reluctantly raised her arm. "It needs work." Dr. Samuels knelt next to her desk. Kim figured it was difficult for him to see student's work on the low desks. "This is pretty good," he said. "I really like the gentle portrayal, almost oriental in your approach." He chuckled. "Your first line, the arrangement of the words really draws an image, yes, 'a duck waddle walks.'" Kim beamed. Her professor rarely complemented her, or for that matter, any of the creative writing students. However, her ego was soon tempered. "You might look at the weight of the words in the second line, although you captured the beat, with true oriental writing, we must capture a mood. Think about it." Dr. Samuels stood and moved to the next student. Wow, he didn't say anything about my last line Kim began trying combinations to capture the mood which her instructor had promoted. When class ended Kim gathered her books and started for the door. "Miss Brooks, do you have a minute?" Kim paused. "Yes, Dr. Samuels, I have a free period next. What do you need?" "I thought maybe we should chat just a second." Kim took a deep breath. What did I do? It's probably my research paper, I knew I should have added another cite. She put her books on a first row desk and sat when he motioned to her. "Miss Brooks, uh Kim," he sat on the edge of his desk. "I have been thinking about your haiku." Kim's mind raced. "Yes, sir. I am working on it." "I know, I know, remember I saw that delightful first line. But, the other thing that interested me in your work was the last line." Oh, oh, here comes the anti Christian platitudes. "You have delivered a worthwhile thought without overburdening the reader, now that takes talent." "uh." "I confused you. Let's see if I can say this better. Let me ask you this, obviously you are somewhat of a religious person, a Christian?" Kim gulped. What did they teach us in Sunday school, Oh Lord, give me the right words . "Yes." "Good. Then I can ask you. Do you think that the Lord beats people with a big stick?" Before Kim could answer he continued. "No, at least not since old testament times." Dr. Samuels seemed to look into her eyes. "Kim, my perception, and it appears, your perception is that the Lord is warm, inviting, the embodiment of love." Kim looked up at her professor. She had never noticed his gentle brown eyes and soft creased features. "Sir?" "Look at your last line. 'The Lord loves them all.' I hope that is what you meant, a more universal 'all.' And, the use of the pronoun 'them'." "I really didn't think" Kim stammered. "Of course not, you're a student, but that too can be forgiven." Dr. Samuels smiled. "To express your faith, without driving the sheep from the herd, is the art of the shepherd poet." A few class members entered the room. Kim started to get up. "Fix the poem, if the second verse works, we will enter it in a collegiate poetry contest. But, more than that; I think I will use it as a fill piece in the departmental newsletter of course with your permission." Kim nodded. "Uh, yes sir, thank you." "Finish it. Drop it by my office. We will go from there." A crowd of people burst into the room and Kim had to fight her way out. "Okay, Lord what do we do?" A week later Kim sat in her class anxiously anticipating the entrance of her Creative Writing professor. Dr. Samuel's walked in the door and held his hand up to still the class. With no introduction he read. "A duck waddle walks A gentle rain soothes the trail The Lord loves them all" "dub" is a freelance Christian writer, best known for his straight forward approach to common issues. His 38 year professional writing career gives him keen insight into successful reporting. To contact dub email [email protected] Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |