The Lottery

I wrote this poem because I was inspired, shocked and disturbed by the documentary about American Education System called "Waiting for Superman." An incredible amount of our public schools are failing each year. The few schools that are thriving have limited openings that are coveted by many families that hope to send their child to a school that can fulfill their educational needs. By law, these schools must hold a lottery to decide which students will get into the school each year. Please watch the documentary. It truly is heart-breaking and eye-opening.

The Lottery

In this case, there is no "I tried, but I'm just held down by the man."

Don't tell me you've done everything you can

'cause that'd be a lie. Spy through that child's eyes and into her soul.

You hold her life in your hands...

or in a cage, rather.

Families gather, awaiting their child's fate.

Their destiny determined by a bingo ball that rolls and falls

in a spinning wire cage thats being rotated by the "sage" force

that we call the law.

"The Lottery," the call it.

Such a deceiving name.

With it we associate fortune and fame brought about by number games.

But there's more at stake with this lottery that the couple of bucks

someone dropped on a scratch ticket.

Its a gauntlet.

Ten desks open up at the best school in the city.

Its a pity that over 500 kids applied,

simply to be denied the chance of a proper education.

Today, four year old Jenny sits among the masses,

peering through her square-framed glasses at that menacing cage.

Torment and rage hit her mother in waves as she stares at the stage.

Tears fall as they continue to call what seems like every name

except "Jenny."

The announcer's mic goes cold just after the last child's name is told.

Defying odds, Jenny's name is the one still dangling in mid-air.

Parents glare as her mother sweeps her into a hug and celebrates their positive fate.

She is unaware of the power her own name holds today.

There are no true happy endings, however.

The system is clever enough to disguise the heartbreak and havoc it imposes.

For over five hundred less fortunate families, their ferocious attempts at firmly fixing their child's future was found insufficient.

So don't tell me you've done everything you can.

'Cause it would be a lie.