9/11 is a word now.

Children huddle in front
of glowing TV boxes
and are told to pray
by pale godless people
that look like cigarettes.

Hatred is hard to comprehend
at this age.

So is god.

So instead some stare at
or through
or into
the scene before them
and feel happy

to be here-
huddled in this corner,
in this classroom, far away
      and alive.