a digital story

voice?

within everyone is a voice,
particular to the individual
and universal in how each taps the best within them,
that which some of us call that of God within,
what all might agree is that which makes us most human and special,

it challenges any school to find ways
for each student to find the true story each lives,
the path heredity, parenting, and choice leave most open and sure,

today, each of our 14 year olds in the middle school presents a story to the rest,
a digital story in video form,
a story each has chosen from the voice each feels one’s own,
and, true to the uniqueness of the diversity we live and love,
the stories vary as to what part of the voice is shared,
what defining elements of self revealed,
how particular the enthusiasm, the heights, the depths,

we feel a relationship go asunder, anxiety resisted,
place and music and baseball and soccer
the stage upon which to find one’s self,

within and through each story I feel each voice find itself
and each of us hearing those voices
can maybe find our own voice within more ready to speak.

by Henry H. Walker
May 20, ’11