Poetry can be born or die at any time, says Chinese teacher Long Zhengfu. His class, called "sixth grade," had 71 students filling the classroom.
They would write heavy poems about death, parting and longing. There are 39 students in the class who are unaccompanied by their parents, whose parents have divorced, died, or all went out to work. They always have dirt and "plateau red" on their faces, looking carefree - climbing into trees to pick up badminton rackets between classes.