The playground is spinning

So last week, I was talking to a class about poetry. And today I did the same.

But I decided the students needed a writing exercise. So I gave the teachers a free writing exercise. I'm not sure how well I explained it, but basically I wanted the students to start with the words "the playground" and then just write for five minutes without stopping, without censoring themselves, without thinking even.

And then I decided that I needed to do the exercise myself.

Perhaps I'll do this poem in a slam because they liked it. Let me know what you think:

The playground is spinning, spinning.
The slide is flying.
The swings are alive.
I am hiding in the jungle gym.
I am in a jungle.
I see trees, rain forest trees.
I see brightly colored birds and lions, macabees and string cheese that is alive.
It is alive.
The playground is alive.
I am alive.
The trees are alive.
We are dancing together at recess.
Recess is free. I don’t need money
to have fun.
I don’t need money to fly.
I can’t fly.
I’m only a kid. Not a bird.
I’m not a bird. I’m not a superhero.
I don’t have wings.
I don’t need wings.
I can run and jump and dance.
I can run and jump and dance.
I can stand up. I can sit down.
I can do everything except what the teacher says don’t do.
I can do everything except what the teacher says don’t do.
Teachers are good. They’re great.
They love me for reasons I don’t understand.
They put up with me for reasons I don’t understand.
They give me too much rope.
They listen to me when I’m crazy. They wait for me to calm down.
They show up for work everyday even when they’d rather not put up with me.
But I’m good. I know I’m good.
And I’ll be better.
Except at recess. Except on the playground. Except in my imagination.
Because a kid has got to be a kid, sometimes right.
The playground is alive and I feel so good when I’m here.
I can cheer. Cheer. Cheer for childhood and happiness and having a good time.
Having a good time with my friends in the tunnels and the jungle gyms and the slides and the swings and just sitting down and looking up at the clouds.