What you Can Learn from a Marching Band

What you Can Learn From a Marching Band

You might learn to be a woman warrior
You could learn some crafty little dance moves
You could shake a trumpet
You could reflect the light of the sun in a trombone
You can reflect the light;

You can throw your sticks up into the air
You could throw them so high
They don’t come down;

You could learn to make a mighty sound
You could do the snake walk
And blow a bone flute at the same time;

You could learn when to lay out;

You could learn not to make excuses
Learn to practice
Work hard be prepared
Trust in God;

You could learn how to shine your shoes
How to tie your tie
How to make sure your leggings stay free of shoe polish;

You can learn how to flip a flag up into the air;

You could learn to march
To sing while you march
To jam the march
Dance and march;

When you’re tired out —
You could march;
You could learn to be tired and march
To be done
And march;

You could learn to march
March anyway;

Then you could teach march;

Give it over to your students
What it felt like when you learned it;

When you learned it and what it felt like
The day you did something
You didn’t learn;

What that felt like

What it ratta-tat-tat felt like.

jsg, usa
monday, january 21, 2013
inaugural parade