Wednesday, April 21, 2010
The Educationof Jah Amiel
Jah Amiel went out the backdoor ofhis house and knocked on his grandpa's door. Grandpa was lying downproofreading but got up when he heard his grandson at the door. He hadto get up for the little savior of the world, as his grandson told himhe was going to be.
He opened the door and Jah Amiel came in on amission as he nears his third year on earth, May 31. "I want to see theAmerican," he told his grandpa excitedly.
What?
The American!
What?
TheAmerican!
What?
I want to see the American! His grandpa had noidea what he was talking about, until Jah Amiel pointed to the largeposter of Langston Hughes on the wall.
Oh, Langston Hughes?
Yeah.On the computer.
Oh, you want to see Langston Hughes read I, Too, AmAmerica?
Yeah.
Ok, ok.
Grandpa turned on Youtube and found thesite with Langston Hughes reading his classic poem.
Meantime Jahmielfound a tape dispenser and pulled off a piece.
Gonna tape my mouth.
Notnow, Jah Amiel, you gonna read with Langston.
Ok. He stopped for amoment to read along with Langston.
I, too, sing America
Iam the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
Whencompany comes.
But I laugh
And eat well.
And grow strong.
Tomorrow,
I'llbe at the table
When company comes.
Nobody'll dare
Say to me
"Eatin the kitchen,"
Then.
Besides,
They'll see how beautiful Iam
And be ashamed--
I, too, am American.
After reading thepoem once, he told his grandpa to play it again and he again recitedwith Langston, then he put the tape over his mouth.
Lately, JahAmiel doesn't accompany his grandpa downtown to his Academy of DaCorner. The people ask grandpa where's Jah Amiel? But his mother put himin Montessori school. She told her dad Jah Amiel could come to hisschool on the weekends.
After he went to school, his grandpaasked him what he learned?
How to play in the sand box.
That'sall?
Yeah.
Grandpa thought about it. He figured this might be animportant lesson, since many people never learn how to play in the sandbox without throwing sand in other people's face and eyes throughouttheir life.
What did you do today at school, Jah Amiel?
I beenworking at school and I'm tired.
What kind of work did you do?
Iworked. I'm tired.
Well, you better go home to yo mama.
Ok. Seeyou later alligator!
His grandpa replied, after while, crocodile!
--MarvinX
4/21/10
www.educationofjahamiel.blogspot.com
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