the color of academia

the color of academia


blue faces,
ocean children
riding crests of avalanche waves
turmoil brains floating away from
the scholastic current
too strong for their slight academic rafts

confiscated apathy to today's world
and degrees of navigation towards
the expanse of knowledge, like
seeing land through the lenses 
of a crow's nest

binocular thoughts honed in
but mutiny is written across the cheek bones
the parrot driven dichotomy
inhibits the sensational passage
to new truths...

just the hand-me down sailors' breath
that once was strong enough
to move mountains...

all lies dormant
at the bottom of an ocean
guarded by 
blue faces.


erin-cilberto
2/9/17 

Reviews

[AYVID N]

This was where education was supposed to lead...its impairing our generations, making wimps of them. Such beautiful depiction of the Brave New World.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, DIVYA...

j.

[Beccy]

The onward march seems inexorable; impossible really to halt it. Perhaps the best we can hope for is that enough of wisdom washes up on the beach, to ensure the high and complex task of imparting knowledge can at least stem the tide a little.

Beccy.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

at least a little, hopefully....and we can get students to think somewhat outside the box.
read moreat least a little, hopefully....and we can get students to think somewhat outside the box.

thank you, Beccy.
j.

[AprilRN1210]

It's easy to get lost or swept away in this world. It's so vast and overwhelming. When you are on that voyage to learn, to grow, and to experience it can be scary and one big tide can sink or propel you. It's easy to become so focused on the goal that you lose opportunities and miss some pretty important things along the way. Things are too often taken for granted these days, things that others had to fight very hard to be given, things that isn't free in other walks of life. At the same time-an open mind that thirsts is a wonderful thing but can quickly become drowned if not careful. I have missed you my friend. Nicely done as usual.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

love your incredible insights...thank you, April...

and it is so good to see you again...i have missed you as well...always do when you take long absences from WC...

j.

[Jimmy Yetts]

"Blue faces" is certainly an apt and, therefore, profoundly frightening metaphor.
We are being trans-formed, trans-gendered, trans-humanized and trans-fucked!
Come to think of it, blue faces are better than no faces.
Exceptional write, Jacob!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, i guess they are...thank you for your review, Jimmy.
j.

[Ken Simm.]

When teaching I was often told by students that they should have something; knowledge; a good grade, simply because they deserved it. Because I'm me was the serious reply to my obvious question. Usually followed with a 'Duh!' The answer to my explaination as to why they hadn't was an irritating am I bothered?
Technology has improved the human condition but in my view it has also dampened it. We live in our own virtual worlds and without the perhaps freedom of learning, of experience we cannot move beyond. It was my intention always to teach individuals. I'm scared that this is becoming increasingly difficult. The blue faces are far more common.
You have hit nails and overturned stones with this write Jacob. Both personally and universally.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, we do live in our own virtual worlds...thank you for your review, Ken.
j.

[Einstein Noodle]

i really appreciate your take on academia ..if anyone can comment its a College Professor .. honestly .. i think you must feel a bit alone in your perspectives .. there is a whole lot gone so wrong on campus these days .. kids classes dismissed because of voters trauma ... safe zones where no threats (allegedly) are found and no opposing views can be expressed .. boy oh boy .. perhaps we can finally get our schools back to teaching kids how to read and write for starters ... then on to the glories of maths and sciences where art can so easily be woven (in my opinion) .. i especially like your ocean children ..the avalanche waves (learn to surf says i) .. and am particularly struck with the pain of the "...hand me down sailors' breath" ...i served in the Navy and can tell you that if that sailors breath is not awe inspiring and invigorating ..then what are we to do?! your poem has got me goin' jacob .. so ..well done says i!
E.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

your insights are spot on, E. absolutely...

thank you,

j.

[Alfred Kukitz]

If someone said that you reached the finish line on the state of higher education I, along with many others, owe you a congratulations.

I wonder if insight, epiphany and serendipity should be encouraged in education?

Regards,
Al

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i think they all should be...yes.
thank you, Al.
j.

[Alfred Kukitz]

Thanks! I have this theory, medical science would find more cures if these elements were employed.

[aLittlePain]

Tomorrow I will send my son off on his first day of school. The climate of education is always changing technology drives supply feeds the need. As much as my heart beats for the arts having a son who has spent the majority of his short life in hospitals my thirst for the teaching of sciences is fierce. More so for the rapidly changing landscape of the physical earth. Adapting and applying real knowledge to enable a semblance of life in the next decades. Ana's review below aligns greatly with my own thoughts! An important and powerful write. R xo

[jacob erin-cilberto]

and i really appreciate your thoughts and sharing your feelings about your son and his education...it's about what we need...or should be.
and what our children need in order to make it in this new world.

thanks, Rach...
j.

[Papaya]

The environment is changing so rapidly and I fear that we're not teaching kids what they need to survive in the world 20, 30, 40 years from now. The arts are important but we need to invest more in the sciences so that we have the brain power to one day find a new home for us when we kill this one.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

really keen insight, Flora...i do appreciate what you say, and you are right...what they need.

thank you...

j.

[Tony Jordan]

Soon all the worlds books will be in a library known as Davey Jone's locker and Google will be the only teacher - I bet kids even correct teachers in class these days using examples of the web - "But Sir, you're wrong - there can be more than 100% - it says on Google 'always give 110%..."
God help us all.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

where the hell is that extra ten percent over a hundred...ha ha...yes..

what a sad day is coming..when google is the only classroom left...
thank you, Tony.