Popcorn Classroom by Kevin Close

Mr. Ringle lectures like a splashing, spluttering pool of oil, so hot,
splaying out across the classroom
coating kids with oil
and heating up
what’s inside.
Splattered walls seem like they’re sweating beads of oil,
the walls turn brown,
the air burns but,
the students sit
unchanging,
glistening,
and then
pop…pop pop pop.
Flipping,
whizzing,
whirring
students popping, zipping through the air.
Bouncing off their seats
into each other,
big and proud
kernels
pop pop
popping around the room
the kernels settle down full and round
pop-pop…pop and Mr. Ringle stops and turns the page
and now the class is grass and Mr. Ringle starts to lecture like a sprinkler.