Salt of the Earth

We value community and art at OA, and the intersection of the two makes me so grateful to be a part of this school. Sometimes this juncture can catch you off guard, though. During work crew last week, I cleared away brush and invasive species with students McKinnley, Patrick, and Christian. The conversation moved to things we regret, and I recounted a time at a third grade slumber party in which I decided to see what putting salt on a slug would do. Christian wrote the following poem and shared it with me the next day at dinner.

When Saturation Exhausts the Soul—and Body

Once there was a world

where feudalists prospered;

the powerful stayed mighty

while the weak perished.

The tall ones would walk

with authority and control,

Laughing with delight

at the demise of others.

Is equality compiled?

Fairly distributed?

Can humanity be sincere?

The answer is in nature.

The tall ones will walk,

leaving their footprint over us.

Insincerity has proven true.

Ha, who is the salt of the Earth?

There is something so powerful in turning memories into works of art. The slug is memorialized; the memory now has the power of story. And I continue to love working side by side with our incredible students.

Katie Harris
Dean of Academics and English Teacher