chuck

when I was in 2nd grade

my teacher told us

to color in ducks

so I colored my duck

and put whatever I wanted

wherever I wanted

then she told us to stop

and tomorrow we’d get to finish

 

tomorrow came and I had finished my duck

but it was either color

or start homework

so I grabbed my duck

and colored

and shaded

and colored

until the whole duck

was a grotesque brown

I looked at my creation

and laughed

he was funny looking and I called him Chuck

and he was my duck

 

but Ms. Bagri hated my duck

and picked up Chuck

and showed him to the class and said

 

“This is exactly what not to do”

 

I looked over

at my classmate’s duck

it was meticulously shaded

and no colors exceeded the borders

so I told myself

if that’s what art is

then I am not

 

I have never forgiven Ms. Bagri

because it took me

12 years

to pick up another colored pencil

Reviews

[Donna]

I don't know if this is true, but its sad to make a child feel like that. Nice writing!

[SleeplessVolcano]

Lovely story! Somehow I think it may work better as a short story. Teachers sometimes are oblivious how inappropriate criticism can stunt a kid for life......