"Thinking back, I can still remember that first night of class where you told us to pick someone, walk up to them, look in their eyes, and see ourselves. From that I wrote the following poem that I'd like to share with you:"

beware ...
(by DM)

you're trespassing on my desires.
your yearning justifies my fears -
turning me from whispers
towards thinking about
not thinking about
it.

I glare at myself
in your pupils,
dilating your secrets,
miming your tears,
and see you
see me quiver:
waiting, anticipating,
those far away spaces -
silence beckons me deeper -
while I caress the
familiar sowulo
around my neck

"And here is my take on it: The idea of the poem is that happiness lives in all of us waiting, building momentum, wanting to be released onto someone else. Often we are guilty of searching for someone to throw these wonderful feeling at -- people who are not ready, or are afraid or unworthy; people who, for whatever reason, choose not to look deeply into our pupils and see us seeing them seeing us."

:: note :: . . . D was a student forced to drop class . . . he wrote a email of explanation . . . the response included the above . . . it is an honour to have such students . . .