Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Back to School

For Poetry Jam, we are writing a poem about going back to school.  And here is mine.  I have been a student, a parent of a student and a teacher...all my life I've been going to school and having first days.  Retired now, I'm waiting for my grandchildren's first days of school that will be coming up in a few years (or a few breaths it seems).

I hurry down the aisle
for a good seat
on the bus
with a friend
oh, so good to see
a friend
I saw two days ago
wearing summer torn shorts
running barefoot
on the dusty, gravelly driveway
soles of feet tough as
sneakers
but now we shine
and sit on the edge of the seat
ironed dresses
new lunch boxes in hand
what’d you bring?
bologna and cheese
but I have a cookie, too
what about you?
I have a whoopie pie
I have been out-desserted
I’m going to ask for a nickel tomorrow
and hope I can get
a whoopie pie at Walter’s store
while I wait there for the bus
we will still be shiny tomorrow
but not as much
as today
our feet are already
growing softer
in our new shoes.
and our new shoes
are already dusty.

the smiling, freshly pressed
teacher
waits at school
with shiny, new shoes
and knows she will
be dusty by
day's end
her feet
will hurt
and she will need
to sit down,
wrinkled,
but happy
because
she still remembers
the excitement of the first day
of school
and because she remembered
to pack a whoopie pie
this time.


©2014, Donna JT Smith, all rights reserved

14 comments:

  1. aww...i think we all have somewhat similar memories of our school days....what a lovely share Donna :)

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  2. everything was shiny on the first day...and maybe a bit less tomorrow...
    but hopefully they hold a bit of the excitement...lunch and finding out what
    was in the lunchbox, was def a nice surprise...smiles.

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  3. aww so cute... i remember one of the main topics of conversation at the beginning of a school day would be lunch boxes and much before the lunchtime we would sneak around the classes and gobble the lunch!! what fun days!!

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  4. Memories stick for a long time, Donna. This is beautifully done, from the feet, the shine, and the return of the whoopie pie! Ingrid starts her kindergarten year at my (our) school today. The years do move so swiftly! Thanks for writing...

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  5. What a sweet poem, Donna! I was right with you on that bus with my shiny shoes too. We do not have lunch boxes in France though. Kids either eat school lunches or go back home for lunch.

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  6. Luv the fun recalled and oh your word "out-deserted" is simply marvelous

    Have a nice Wednesday

    Much love...

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  7. Adorable. My goodness did that take me back! I loved the anticipation and excitement, the contrast of dress, the dual perspectives. Lovely.

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  8. Your poem brought back memories of whoopie pies. I did not have a whoopie pie in a long time...since I traveled out east to Lancaster County. Smiles. Funny the memories that will stick in one's mind...for both teacher and student!

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  9. our feet are already
    growing softer
    in our new shoes

    I just love that, Donna... and whoopie pies, wow. What sweet memories!

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  10. Some wonderful images in this. I especially like the image of the "freshly pressed teacher."

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  11. Beautifully written. Donna. I like the way you have approached this through the simple innocence of young eyes...

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  12. May I just say ... I am in love with your poem.

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  13. Lovely write Donna..I could picture myself sitting in the bus next to my friend and all those beautiful memories. :)

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  14. It is a fact that the small things make the memories special... and you so beautifully captured them with your words...

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