school
a cigarette bookmark
marking my place
in some used Tolkien tome
lit up by a campfire
reading it again
under patio lanterns
school
flipping the cassette tape over
reading Salinger, Hemingway,
Kerouac
Guns and Roses
low in the background
school
filling moleskin
after moleskin
with poems, sketches,
lists of backyard creatures
school
the one or two...(maybe a few)
beautiful authentic teachers
school
from dropout, to teacher,
to old tired monk
Love this - the story of life comes to life. Great writing
ReplyDeleteYour poem really captures what school was to you. It seems you were writing poetry for quite a while. Smiles. I like your choices of reading material!
ReplyDeleteFrom dropout to teacher to old tired monk - how perfect! I suspect you were one of those few authentic teachers - they were few in my life too, sadly. But there are some great ones out there. I love the part about reading to music - music is such a big part of teen life. I think it might have saved me. Always lovely to read you, Ollie.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and soothing memories indeed!
ReplyDeleteGosh, this is good. I remember reading Catcher in the Rye when I was young. Wonder if kids still do. Love how you capture youth as it transitions to different stages of life. I guess in the end we all become a tired old monk. I am beginning to revel in it.
ReplyDelete