Popular Poems About School

Sixth graders watching the Guiness Book of World Records'
longest conga line of dogs
because it's five minutes before dismissal on a Friday
and why not?

Two simultaneous responses

one from a girl
one from a boy

"Aww, it's a puppy choo choo train!"

"Yeah, they's doin' it doggie style"


Cusp of twelve:
the hold of innocence tenuous

against gale force winds

Some rules are good:
no smoking in public places
no littering
no running red lights
no killing people

But some rules are questionable:
insistence on school uniforms
in a low-income school
when mom's been unable to launder navy pants
and white shirts
because dad went to jail last night
or the power was cut off
or because the family of eight has to move again
third time in six months

I'm developing the reputation
as the teacher who doesn't dress code students
(they think I don't notice)

I do...