Schoolyard Lesson

By: Janice Heng

Structure: Twin Cinema
as children we were naturally cruel; which is to say
curious, biological fact: that life holds
doors only half-open for us – no excuses for
the way your eyes closed, the path which
leaves shuttered pasts ignored.
each time we ran out of ourselves,
our fingers, the edge of bitten word,
of careless shoe kicking teeth
against trembling, complicit
how we’d trample you – ears a wall, voice shut
just to watch that guarded gate, dead earth dreaming of
returning spring. what roots could mean:
for years it seemed magic allowed reanimation,
until we learnt every false death was nothing
– it wasn’t shyness but defence.

Twin Cinema: Each column can
be read individually from top to
bottom, often present correlating
or contrasting images, or
viewpoints at odds with each
other. It’s beauty lies in its ability
to be read also across.
This poem, based on the
topic of bullying, can be read
from three perspectives, with
the left column being from
the bully’s point of view, the
right from the victim’s, and
the combined from a
bystander’s perspective. Note
also the differing tones.
Bully’s Perspective

Line 1-3 (Bully’s POV)
as children we were naturally
curious, biological
doors only half-open for us –
Bully justifies his actions by
blaming it on his childhood
curiosity and lack of
knowledge and awareness
● Utilising words like
“naturally” and
“biologically”
● Saying that the bully
does not get to choose
his own character traits
● Unrepentant tone
Line 4-10 (Bully’s POV)
Bully blames victim for
the way your being overly sensitive
leaves shuttered ● “the way your”
each time we ran ○ Accusatory tone
our fingers, the edge directed at the
of careless shoe victim
against trembling, ● Bully accuses the
how we’d trample you victim instead of
feeling remorseful
Line 4-10 (Bully’s POV)
Illustration of bullying in a
the way your reckless and cruel manner
leaves shuttered ● “Ran our fingers”
each time we ran ● “Careless shoe”
our fingers, the edge ● Imagery of “how we’d
of careless shoe trample you”
against trembling, ○ Viscerally evoke the
how we’d trample you vicious acts of the
bully
○ A callous tone?
Line 11-15 (Bully’s POV)
just to watch that guarded
returning spring.
for years it seemed magic
until we learnt
– it wasn’t shyness
Bully is surprised that despite
the bullying, the victim
continues to get back up and
come to the schoolyard

Line 11-15 (Bully’s POV)
just to watch that guarded
returning spring.
for years it seemed magic
until we learnt
– it wasn’t shyness
Bully realises that victim’s
closed off nature is not due
to shyness but rather for
self-protection
● Use of structure through
dashes
● Signify the moment of
realization for the bullies
regarding the victim’s
closed off nature
● First tinge of regret in
final line
Victim’s Perspective
Line 1-5 (Victim’s POV)
lesson (from title)
cruel; which is to say
fact: that life holds
no excuses for
eyes closed, the path which
pasts ignored.
Victim believes that learning
lessons the hard way (i.e.
through bullying) is a fact of
life
● Emphatic choice and
position of “Cruel” to
describe the hard truths
in life

Line 1-5 (Victim’s POV)
lesson (from title)
cruel; which is to say
fact: that life holds
no excuses for
eyes closed, the path which
pasts ignored.
Anger at inaction from
bystanders who ignore his
history of being bullied
- “Eyes Closed”, “Ignored”
highlight the inaction by
bystanders and the
callous insensitivity of
the bullies
- Accusatory tone utilised
as the speaker says “No
excuses” to highlight the
anger towards
bystanders/bullies
Line 6-11 (Victim’s POV) Victim has become guarded
and suppressed.
out of ourselves, ● “Out of Ourselves”
of bitten word, highlights the victim
kicking teeth losing himself while
complicit being bullied
– ears a wall, voice shut ● “Bitten” and “Kicking”
gate, ... viscerally suggest the
violent nature of the
bullying acts
Line 6-11 (Victim’s POV) Ferocious piling of forceful
imagery – shows the
out of ourselves, violence and hurt
of bitten word, Victim cannot express
kicking teeth himself, words cannot seem
complicit to come out of his mouth,
– ears a wall, voice shut cannot be heard
gate, ... ● “Ears a wall” “Voice shut
gate” – shrinking into
oneself as futile self-
defense
 Idea of hope surfaces. He
compares himself to barren soil,
Line 11-15 (Victim’s POV) still holding roots,
dreaming/hoping to one day hold
… dead earth dreaming of vegetation (i.e. escape from
what roots could mean: suppression and be free) It is this
allowed reanimation, hope that allows him to return
every false death was everyday.
nothing ● “Dreaming” “Reanimation”
but defence. ● Diction utilised brings out the
idea of the resilience of youth
– who can still hope for
freedom and recovery in
terrible circumstances
Line 11-15 (Victim’s POV)
His state of helplessness was
… dead earth dreaming of his form of defense
what roots could mean: ● Victim’s gives a more
allowed reanimation, personal account on his
every false death was “false death” – when he
shrinks and falls and
nothing
refuses to move till the
but defence.
bullying is over – only to
revive in ‘guarded spring’
Bystander’s Perspective

Line 1-5 (Bystander’s POV)
as children we were naturally
curious, biological
doors only half-open for us –
the way your
leaves shuttered
cruel; which is to say
fact: that life holds
no excuses for
eyes closed, the path which
pasts ignored.
Bystanders normalise the
behaviour of the bully by
attributing his cruelty to his
exposure outside the
school environment and
talking about the nature of
school children as being
“cruel”, something that
cannot be changed
● Use of “Naturally” and
“Biologically”
emphasise the nature
of children that cannot
be changed
 Bystanders believe that they do
Line 1-5 (Bystander’s POV) not know the full background of
the occurrences which prevents
them from stepping in as the
bystanders “ignored” the victim
● Use of personification to
as children we were naturally cruel; which is to say
personify leaves being
curious, biological fact: that life holds
doors only half-open for us – no excuses for ignored just like bystanders
the way your eyes closed, the path which ignoring the victim
leaves shuttered pasts ignored.
Bystanders show sympathy for
the victim and feel guilty for not
interfering
● Use of “Ignored”
Line 6-10 (Bystander’s POV)

Bystanders suggest they may

each time we ran out of ourselves, have been too occupied to lend a
our fingers, the edge of bitten word,
helping hand
of careless shoe kicking teeth
against trembling, complicit ● “Ran out of ourselves”
how we’d trample you – ears a wall, voice shut ● Too busy to bother and
interfere
Line 6-10 (Bystander’s POV)Bystanders feel guilty as they see
the bullying take place. They see
that the victim is being
suppressed to a point where he is
almost dead on the inside
each time we ran out of ourselves, ● ‘we’d’ trample you’ – diction
our fingers, the edge of bitten word,
of careless shoe kicking teeth indicates they know their
against trembling, complicit complicity
how we’d trample you – ears a wall, voice shut ● Use of “trembling” and
“trample”
○ Highlights the violence of
the victim that is ignored
○ Showcases pitiful plight of
victim
 They observe the victim can
Line 11-15 (Bystander’s POV) recover - but eventually
understand what the false
death really means
- Use of “dead” shows how
just to watch that guarded gate, dead earth dreaming of the student’s current plight
returning spring. what roots could mean:
for years it seemed magic allowed reanimation, makes the bystander
until we learnt every false death was nothing doubt he would recover
– it wasn’t shyness but defence.
- They realise much later
that the false death and
reanimation wasn’t
miraculous – it was merely
desperate self defense
 It is magical to them that the
Line 11-15 (Bystander’s POV) victim recovers and comes
back to the schoolyard
everyday
● “Reanimation” “false death”
○ Highlights the strength
just to watch that guarded gate, dead earth dreaming of
returning spring. what roots could mean:
of student to recover
for years it seemed magic allowed reanimation, from the bullying
until we learnt every false death was nothing everyday
– it wasn’t shyness but defence.
They too eventually realise he
is not “dead” and that there is
hope for him. His reclusive
nature was merely a defense
mechanism.