bus | todd anderson

ten

'i still do not claim to be a great poet, but a great observer of her'

"to chris,"

knox suddenly spoke up infront of the students. charlie, turn his head up to knox hearing the poem knox made was for chris.

"i see a sweetness in her smile, bright light shines from her eyes," he rode the first stance from his poems, as the students continued to listened.

"but life is complete, contentment is mine, just knowing that..." knox stops, feeling the disappointment, sadness and tiredness.

"just knowing that... she's alive" and there, he gave up. knox let out a sigh as he crumpled the paper with the poem he wrote.

"sorry captain, it's stupid" he says, head down as he walked towards his table.

"no no no, it's not stupid. it's good effort, it touched on one of the major themes: love" mr. keating said as he stood up from the table he was leaning in.

now, it was hopkins turn.

todd couldn't looked at them straightly, because of anxiety? or maybe because he is scared that he might utter any word infront of them.

he stupidly rolled his eyes, hearing what hopkins' stupid poem he made.

"now, who's next?" mr. keating turn his way towards todd's table.

"mr. anderson, i see you sitting there in agony,"

todd looked at mr. keating, not wanting to take a step infront of them.

"come one, todd, step up. let's put you out of your misery" mr. keating said, making a way for todd.

"i- i didn't do it."

"i didn't write a poem," he said, even though there was.

"mr. anderson thinks that everything inside of him is worthless and embarrassing" mr. keating uttered.

"isn't that right, todd? isn't that your worst fear?" he asked todd.

"well i think you're wrong," mr. keating lead his way to a black board, leaving todd rolling his eyes as he let out a sigh.

"i think you have something inside of you that is worth a great deal," mr. keating then wrote something from the black board.

"i, sound my barbaric YAWP over the rooftops of the world, W.W., Uncle Walt" he slowly uttered it while writing it on the black board.

"now, for those who don't know, a yawp is a loud cry or yell" mr. keating said that made the students acknowledge another word.

"now, todd" mr. keating calls from todd's name, making his way infront of his table.

"i would like you to give us a demonstration of a barbaric yawp" mr. keating smiled, while todd was there, looking so done from his life.

"come on, you can't yawp sitting down"

todd make his way onto the front.

"a yawp"

"oh no, not just a yawp, a barbaric yawp!" mr. keating said.

"yawp." still the same.

"come on, louder!" mr. keating instructed him.

"yawp!" todd said, so done from his life.

"oh, that's a mouse! louder!"

"Yawp!"

"god, boy, yell like a man—"

"YAWP!"

"there it is! you see, you have a barbaric in you after!" mr. keating then heard what he want to be heard from todd

todd was about to make way to his table but then mr. keating held his shoulder, a sign that he'll stay infront.

"now, you don't get away that easy," mr. keating chuckled.

"there's a picture of uncle walt up there," he pointed at the picture of uncle walt. "what does he remind you of?"

"don't think, answer" mr. keating was circling todd that made him so nervous to his answer.

"a madman," todd looked at the picture.

"what kind of madman?" keating asked.

"don't think about it just answer!" he reminded again, snapping his fingers close to todd's ear.

"a crazy madman!" he answered.

"you can do better. free up your mind, use your imagination! say the things that comes up in your head even if it's gibberish!" mr. keating said.

"a- a sweaty-toothed madman!" todd answered.

"good, god. boy, there's a poet in you after all!" mr. keating got impressed.

"there, close your eyes," keating commanded as he let his hand covered todd's eyes.

"now, described what you see"

"i- i closed my eyes!"

"and this image floats behind me,"

"a sweaty-toothed madman!" mr. keating whispered.

"a sweaty-toothed madman with a stare that pounds my brain!" he nervously answered.

"excellent! now give him an action! make him do something." mr. keating commanded, still continuing to cover todd's eyes.

"h-his hand reach out and choke me!"

"that's it wonderful!" mr. keating then now let his hand slide off of todd's eyes as todd continued to close his eyes, thinking of something what he can joint from it.

"and all the time he's mumbling, mumbling truth!"

"truth like a blanket that always leaves your feets cold!" the students laughed, making him distact as mr. keating was just there infront of him, making that laughed forget to his brain.

"tell me about the blanket" me. keating whispered.

"you can push it, stretch it, it'll never be enough. kick at it, beat it it'll never cover any of us,"

mr. keating dramatically hugged himself, squatting infront of todd, seeing that wonderful boy with a poet inside of him.

"from the moment we enter crying, to the moment we leave dying, it'll just cover your face"

"as you wail and cry or scream..."

he opened his eyes, seeing them looked so mesmerized to himself.

everyone applauded that made him smile.

"don't you forget this," mr. keating held todd's head, getting impressed by him.

he never knew he would do that in that way, he never knew that he'll break his own shell.

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