Obsidian

What they wanted
was obsidian:
smooth,
brittle,
dark glass.
Something they imagined
would go down
real easy
if they tried
to swallow it.
Something they could
make into a gorgeous pendant
and then set in a jewelry box
and forget about it.

They didn’t realize
that the glassy surface
they loved
was really a way
to reflect the light.
They didn’t realize
that the power of a volcano
is ingrained in the rock
from its very origin.
They didn’t realize
that the beauty and worth
of that black stone
cannot be hidden
or denied.
They didn’t realize that obsidian
can be used
to make
the sharpest of blades.

Image by Hans Braxmeier from Pixabay

Today’s social justice resource is the Frontline PBS film about the Blue Eyes, Brown Eyes Exercise created by Jane Elliott. It is lengthy (close to an hour), but it is free on YouTube via Frontline PBS’ official channel, and you can find it through this link. The documentary shows children learning about racism through real-life experiences as well as their reactions to the experiment as adults decades later. I highly encourage you to check it out. Bookmark it for later if you need to, just don’t forget about it.