Cranes for kids

From now until April 25th Osh Kosh B’Gosh will send an article of clothing to the children of Japan for every origami crane you make. See the details here.

Not bad for a first try after many, many years. I'll get better with practice.

The Origami Crane

Revised 04.26.04

Waiting for the science show
in the room down the hall,
lights off, door

closed and pulled window shades,
the single black and white T.V.
perched high in the left front corner,

the origami crane
couldn’t fly.   “Let me see it,”
he whispered right before it

crashed to the floor
on the gray speckled  tile
between our desks

lined into neat rows and columns.
Mrs. Huff’s perfect 5^th grade class
was silent and still

except for the fallen crane
poised beside my desk
like a monumental asteroid from outer space

shouting “Here I am!”
The steel cold voice,
like a doomsday toll,

barked “Who’s is this?”
Guilty, accused and sentenced, I trudged to the back of the room,
and stood with arms

limp at my sides
and forehead
pressed into the corner

of painted concrete
block walls,
tears crawling down my face,

splashing onto the floor,
the science show
murmuring in the background.

 

Post Addendum — You may also be able to help here – A Thousand Cranes