SYNOPSIS: When Mrs. Merz assigns her sixth grade class to a poetry unit on apology, an avalanche of unexpected responses are set into motion! A mystery is solved, a catastrophe is avoided, and a life is saved. This moving stage adaptation was written in collaboration with Caldecott winner, Joyce Sidman. The driving narrative centers on Bonifacio, a new boy who is bullied into total anonymity until, years later, an apology poem and Bonifacio's willingness to forgive, bring him back. This play is an unsentimental look at bullying, divorce, sibling rivalry, first crushes, bravery, imperfect adult behaviors like alcoholism and not hearing kids when they desperately need to be heard, loss, friendship and girl power. It would be a perfect vehicle for community and professional theaters, workshops and schools to promote conversations about bullying.