A Journey to the Stars

A caterpillar saunters beneath the sky;
Between them is nothing but air and potential.
A dream on the cusp of crystallization
As something once grounded learns how to fly
Softly, surely 
The wind bears witness to the ache of wings
As a whole world is moments from being realized. 
When i was younger, books taught me bravery
That words wield power, enough to leave the leaves
For the stratosphere
All of the broken ceilings which towered above
Like the women leaders I look up to.

Still, as we stand here in our privilege, 
Glance across the gaping fissures of the planet
Into the roots where 
Youth are left to climb for an education 
That is their birthright.

We must remember that this 
Transformation is but a seed 
Enroute to the next generations;
That we are responsible for human lives.

Inclusive and accessible schooling, 
Eradicating poverty and violence for those striving
To learn without the ever presence of 
School shootings, discrimination, and gender barriers,
The days spent bracing for the uncertainties of crises.

Means cultivating chrysalises 
For a girl on the verge of curing cancer. 
Students finding solutions to climate catastrophe
As they consolidate with wildfires and floods.
A teacher whose lessons are not limited to lectures 
But life.

Bringing us chairs to tables 
Outside of the classroom,
Into conversations at negotiations.
Investing in intersectional ideas, innovation, 
And young people will always be fundamental 
To our futures.

Because, like a caterpillar finally taking flight,
Though the distance seems far
There is still time for us to relearn,
Organize, and rise to heights which history has outgrown.
A reimagined education becoming a journey to the stars
A home that we collectively strive to know.