A Poem for Phil Carlin
Let the Truth Be Told

Pinned to a wooden floor
In Victorian chambers
Sandwiched desks stacked in rows
Feet stuck to the classroom floor
Mouths muffled behind closed doors
A system of oppression
An education system built on prison principles
Children indoctrinated
Pass or fail
There is only right NO wrong
No space for innovation and creation
Children pinned to silence 12
Don’t nail me down to a victorian institution
A prehistoric education system
Let me listen to the freedom in these minds
Let the honest words of wisdom rise
In truth and silence
I ran for years
Discovering mysteries far and wide
Road trips weaving across American landscapes
In the great depression
“Can you remind me what was so great about it?”
An act of freedom
Creating a career
With Independent wheels
The bell rang
I stepped into the first act
An Latin and English teacher 12
Language was my medium
In every scene
Defining a rhythm that built my career
The Golden mouth rang
Let the truth be told
Crafting each sentence
A profound gesture
The truth of the word
Held the key
Mastering each character
Conviction spoken by a sincere orator
On each stage I marked my way. 12
In Act two a happy coincidence
Opened the door
A future, as an academic professor
A career carved with Michaelangelo
And Julius Ceasar
Defining future leaders
A Modern education system
Rooted in a practicuum
Breathing fresh air in the system
In active play we ran ahead
Building an architectural system
Where our children could be innovators 11
Don’t pin my down to your wooden stage
A mask today
And Caesar tomorrow
Let dreams unfold
Beyond these walls
Let the truth be told
Let histories define our modernity
With innovation
Giving space to future generations
Let us learn from the great leaders
Let us learn from the great philosophers
Let us learn from you and me
Let us create an education for all to succeed