When I hear testimonies from children and parents about these privileged and intimate moments that run through our singular and ephemeral lives, it fuels my desire to write poetry.

Today I was told that a child “confided to his mother:”

“Mom, I need to tell you something that’s tying knots in my stomach! You know, I really love life! But not the society we live in… I’m bored at school and I don’t want to go anymore!”.

My dear, how I understand you!

You who have your whole life ahead of you and who told me a few weeks ago this story of stolen kisses… I’m always curious to know how young people experience this complicated period, so I had asked you how school was going with masks?

You immediately told me with a bit of mischief and pride that, in the playground, the older kids were disobeying the rules by taking off their masks to kiss! I loved your story, I loved watching you tell it to me. You had chosen this story as a message of resistance, you who are still waiting for your first kiss! As if you were telling me that at least this, nothing and no one can take away from you!

While this world is constrained to a masked future.

In middle schools and high schools, youth continues to give life to life.

While they are forbidden to kiss, they can’t help but disobey.

In school playgrounds, love is resisting!