Guilty of crying at work (my contribution to National Poetry Month)

[maharetr]

I've just randomly read my way through Taylor Mali's poems. He's a teacher and a poet, and he's made me giggle, and cry and helped me move from being over-tired and slightly over-wrought to feeling far more settled and comfortable in my skin.

What Teachers Make...
I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall
in absolute silence. No, you may not work in groups.
No, you may not ask a question.
Why won't I let you get a drink of water?
Because you're not thirsty, you're bored, that's why.

I make parents tremble in fear when I call home:
I hope I haven't called at a bad time,
I just wanted to talk to you about something Billy said today.
Billy said, "Leave the kid alone. I still cry sometimes, don't you?"
And it was the noblest act of courage I have ever seen...

Comments

[callistra.livejournal.com]

Watching that being performed yesterday on made me teary too

[babalon-93.livejournal.com]

oh, that is just beautiful!

[taselby.livejournal.com]

I love that piece.

[purrdence.livejournal.com]

It's times like that that balances out the ratbags students 4 to 1.