A Poem from Bosnia

[Harrison Owen]

I am not sure whether the Poetry contest is still open, and I know that the
following poem does not fit the prescribed form... Be that as it may, I thought
everybody would enjoy.... It was sent by Elwin and Mark -- friends, some time
Peace Corps, and now working on contract in Bosnia. I have suggested that they
might want to join us here on the Listserve.

Harrison

Thought you might enjoy a poem written by a "crusty"
older man who serves on the board of directors for one
of the 20 Bosnian NGOs that participated in the OST
that Mark and I facilitated in March.

This was another back-to-back OST program (two OSTs in
the same week with one day of my stand up
comedy/training in the middle for both groups)
impacting 175 Bosnian NGO leaders.

The poem was read to all participants at a
spontaneously self-developed dance and skit party the
night before OST closed. I think you'll agree that
the party and this poem says it all! What a wonderful
success. thanks to you both.

Peace and best wishes,
Elwin Guild

> From: "Mark Nachtrieb" <darchula at starpower.net>
> To: "Guild, Elwin & Joan" <elwinandjoan at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Oda Ticeru (The Ode to the Teacher)
> "I do not ring the bells, I am asking them to
> proclaim to me" Buddha
>
> "It is not important who is the teacher, what is
> important is how much
> knowledge do the pupils absorb" Taghora
>
>
> Dear teacher Elwin,
> You gathered the pupils from all sides,
> From Una till Drina,
> All seeking knowledge,
> Sitting on the chairs,
> Waiting carefully to learn something.
> Then Elwin says, "You will learn by yourselves,
> I am going to swim; the sun is calling me."
>
> That is a new system, very efficient.
> You are asking How?
> It is simply easy!
> You will work hard by yourselves!
>
> An the starts the rush,
> First day, second day ...
> Third day I didn't eat,
> Agenda, schedules, issues ...
> No food served, just sweat and tears.
>
> The conclusion was almost the same,
> "It's not easy to be a teacher for so big a list,
> Let the pupils sweat by themselves,
> Then they will more appreciate their knowledge."
>
> Elwin is contentedly rubbing his hands,
> He did his job without a lot of suffering.
> Effect is the same, maybe even better, bigger.
> If he was lecturing, we could lay down,
> and napping quietly
> He would ring uselessly, even loud,
> His ringing wouldn't even touch us.

Harrison Owen
7808 River Falls Drive
Potomac, MD 20854
USA
phone 301-469-9269
fax 301-983-9314
website
www.mindspring.com/~owenhh
Open Space Institute websites
www.openspaceworld.org
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