How Dare the Robins Sing

By Deirdre Faughey

Photo Credit: Anita Kalkdijk

Down on the first floor, at

the bottom of the stairs, below the

old bulletin board, next to the

boys’ bathroom, there’s

a desk and chair for me to sit

in still silence.

I clear my patch: toss a

twisted water bottle and pile

forgotten hall passes. I dip out

when they dart in

without scanning;

I am no

lister; no

twitcher, no

birdwatcher

at all.

I am reading

Dickinson when

the boys hop sideways

down the hall.

The usual suspects

gaggle, two or more,

hanging from stalls

like branches,

vaping, recording, texting–

for no one

but themselves.

How dare

these robins sing

while I’m sitting

not watching

them

at all.

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Deirdre Faughey’s essays have been published in Identity Theory and Mr. Beller's Neighborhood; her academic writing has been published in peer-reviewed journals such as the English Journal, and her book, Restorative Literacy Practices: Cultivating Community in the Secondary ELA Classroom, came out in 2023 from Teachers College Press.

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