Uncertainty stirs
School bell rings with excitement–
Hello Mister Hink
Listening to tunes
“Please put your device away”—
Back in the saddle
“Hurry Doug, hurry”
Yellow bus driving away—
“My record’s perfect”
August’s final countdown
School campuses alive
Summer’s vanishing breath
Autumn’s changes soon arrive
Dog days’ final heatwave
Students receiving books
Life’s transitioning steps
Autumn paints nature’s crisp look
Calendar page now turns
Summer’s final footsteps
Cooler weather ahead
Autumn’s leaf-colored doorsteps
Landscape’s pace quiets down
While football fans cheer on
Rustling of drying leaves
Autumn sketches, far from gone
Timeless journey transcends
Harvest complete, fields bare
Classrooms find their rhythm
Autumn’s presence everywhere
Dishwasher emptied
Mom searching, then asks Billy—
Where’s my coffee cup?
Hottest summer day
Hurry, take selfie of us—
Before ice cream melts
School cafeteria
Entrepreneurship’s classroom—
Rick’s noon candy sales
Vacant lot’s dirt piles
Imagination’s new heights—
Scaling new mountains
Stomach’s emptiness
Texting mother for some lunch—
Tree-fort food service
Calendar’s big day!
School year finally begins—
Parents celebrate
The difference between school and life? In school, you’re taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you’re given a test that teaches you a lesson.
They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.
Tom Bodett (born 1955) is an American author, voice actor, and radio personality. He has been the brand spokesperson for Motel 6 for a number of years, where he reminds listeners that “we’ll leave the light on for you.”
Little Johnny hurried down the sidewalk. Catching his breath upon reaching his school bus stop, he waited and waited.
Soon his fate began sinking in. He had missed the bus . . . again!
The warm and sunny morning invited him to walk across the street to a park. Curious and feeling playful, he explored and enjoyed some spontaneous fun. Readin’ and writin’ and rithmetic could wait a spell.
Minutes turned into a couple of hours. Feeling hungry, Johnny discovered a perfect hideout under a nearby pine tree. He pulled out his brown bag lunch.
Following a quick lunch, he felt a bit sleepy. Fresh air, plenty of exercise, and a filling lunch made him drowsy. Curling up under the tree, Johnny was soon snoozing on a bed of soft needles.
Stirring awake, the noise of his rickety school bus shuttling down the street reminded him that school was over for another day.
Upon reaching his house, Johnny’s loving mother met him at the door. Her stern-looking frown told him to watch out . . . caught again!
Originally published March, 2021.
Being retired, my days are usually filled with plenty of leisure time. But even the best laid-out plans can suffer from a surprise.
Arriving in the afternoon mail is a registered letter from the local school district. Hmm, I wonder what they want with me.
In examining the letter, my usual fun-loving outlook fades while reading each sentence. My school transcript shows that I didn’t complete Kindergarten.
My goodness! I’m 66 years old and a grandfather. What gives here?
I’ve been instructed to show up on the first day of school at Central Heights Elementary School (my alma mater).
The following Monday, I am in the classroom . . . not exactly eager to be here. I look around the room at the tiny tables and even smaller chairs. How am I going to be able to sit in these?
Suddenly, I spy a much bigger chair in front of a colorful rug on the floor. I sit down while the rest of the class comes rumbling in from the playground. Their voices raise the roof with all of their morning energy. I guess that they’ve been fed with extra sugar, oh my!
The teacher, Mrs. Meissner, makes her dramatic entrance. A piercing whistle quiets down the class. I am already feeling a migraine headache approaching.
Mrs. Meissner walks over and motions me to sit in a much smaller chair. Are you kidding?
Later in the morning, she directs the class to sit on the colorful rug. Everyone sits “Indian” style with both legs crossed. I am somehow able to sit in this yoga position, but I can feel my muscles already cramping up.
As she sits in the adult-sized chair, she reads a story to the class about what Kindergarten will be like. As she reads, she inserts each student’s name into the plot. I keep listening for my name, but the story ends without a single mention of yours truly.
As the day continues, we (the students and I) practice how to walk in straight lines to the restroom and the cafeteria. We also are reminded to keep our hands to ourselves and to speak with soft voices.
The school bell rings at dismissal time. The youngsters eagerly and safely board their busses for their ride home.
I stand at the curb and wait for my granddaughter to pick me up. My car is being serviced at the garage as it needs a 100,000 mile checkup.
After just one day of Kindergarten, I feel like my body needs an immediate check. Rubbing my aching lower back, I am thinking of scheduling a chiropractic exam as soon as possible.
I finally reach home, and there is another registered letter waiting for me. Tearing the envelope open, I find that the school board has ruled on my appeal. I am no longer required to attend Kindergarten. Hooray, no more back to school for me!
Inside the envelope is an application for employment with the school district. They are looking for additional staff since there is shortage of Kindergarten teachers for this school year.
Every school year brings challenges to our youngest learners in the classroom. These struggling children find hope in a teacher, administrator, custodian, instructional assistant, or any other type of mentor. This is the hope of this poem.
Fearing tomorrow’s tasks
Dreaming of something more
Probing life’s gloomy path
Failing again to score
Meeting darkness once more
Ignoring teacher’s clues
Bearing sounds of silence
Surrounding failure’s blues
Learning nothing today
Parking in empty space
Sharing with hidden friend
Reaching familiar place
Retreating to safe zone
Boarding life’s empty plane
Watching goals crushed again
Seeing more fire than rain
Entering new classroom
Looking into hope’s eyes
Hearing assuring voice
Launching learning’s sunrise
Morning alarm rings
Summer vacation over—
Teacher calls my name
Flashing traffic lights
Driving with care in school zones—
Give these kids a BRAKE!
Another school year
Effort, attitude, action—
Ready for success
A trio of boys is always up to mischief at school.
Mrs. Hall is the very strict, no nonsense, typing teacher up on the second floor. She runs her classroom like a well-run military operation. She adores reading about General George S. Patton.
The typing classroom consists of the latest manual typewriter models. (Sorry lad, no electric ones yet.)
The delinquent boys intend to surprise and shock Mrs. Hall this morning. After all, there is nothing wrong with conducting a small science experiment from her classroom.
Have you ever seen a typewriter fly?
The boys sneak an old typewriter into Mrs. Hall’s classroom before the school day begins.
With a lookout posted near the classroom door, the other two boys open a window and place the typewriter on the ledge.
Just as Mrs. Hall walks into the room, her ever-alert eyes see the boys at the open window with the typewriter.
“Hey Mrs. Hall! Have you ever seen a typewriter fly?”
The typewriter is launched from the window ledge, precisely on schedule.
Thinking the boys are dropping one of her prized Olivetti typewriters from the window, brings a shocking look of surprise to Mrs. Hall’s face . . . Priceless!
Big Sky Buckeye 