Teach a man to fish

and you feed him for a lifetime

but without river or pole

he’ll starve.

Teach a child to read

and you open the widest of worlds

but without library or book

their knowledge will taper away.

Teach a daughter or son

how to live fruitfully

but without example or opportunity

they will be devoured by life.

Teach any one 

their place in the world

but without happiness or way to fulfill purpose

they settle sadly elsewhere.

Teach generations

to stand up and embrace who they are

in time of strife or inequality

certainly they will stand

Teach generations their history

and when it

repeats itself

they will know.

But when you attempt to teach what 

is too late learned

or cut away the strands of life,

they will remember their lessons.

and the students may become the teachers.

Teach a man to fish

and he will fish

to feed himself through lifetimes

as long as life provides a pond.