William Chaplar [C.W. Elliot] (August 18,1961 / Trenton, New Jersey)

I'm always hearing how our schools are facing dire straits;
this disturbing anomaly of low graduation rates.
What I can't help but wonder, though, as I think this thing through,
is what—if anything—there is that each of us can do.
Can any of us sit each day with some three-year-old child
and take about an hour or so to read to her a while?
Can any adult—man or woman—take paper and pen
and show a child who's pre-school-aged the way to count to ten?
And what about the chances that a ne