LatinosUSA

Miss Pass

My first best friend was Susan.
We were inseparable.
Soon we would be starting school.
Starting at the same school.
It shouldn’t be a problem.
But Susan was three months older
and this was a problem.
She must start earlier,
and we would be parted.
Unthinkable!!
Such concern from our parents.
But all was well.
It wouldn’t be a problem.
And all thanks to Miss Pass,
the headmistress,
a wonderful woman
who understood the feelings
of small children.
We could start together
and in the same class.
She was a shining example
to teachers everywhere.
We knew it as we hung our coats
on pegs next to each other
in the cloakroom.

But a few days later
when we had settled in,
disaster struck.
We were to be in different classes.
Such tears and trauma
as we hugged and kissed
and said goodbye at our pegs
in the cloakroom
each morning and afternoon.
And all because of Miss Pass,
the headmistress,
a stupid woman
who had no idea about the feelings
of small children
and should never have been allowed
to be a teacher anywhere.
We knew it as we hung our coats
on pegs next to each other
in the cloakroom.

First published by Piker Press

~~

Teacher Teacher

We had a new teacher,
a student still in college.
He read us a long poem.
I listened carefully, trying
to make sense of it.

I thought it was funny.
Was it meant to be funny?
or was it the laughter of derision
to what sounded like nonsense.
Laughter seemed allowed
and that was unusual.

School was not a place for fun
with its pointless rules,
swiftly forgotten facts,
and boredom.
Boredom
when thoughts would flood
beyond their control.

Maybe the poem was nonsense
but I loved the imagery
and the colours of the words.
I wondered if ‘pea green’ was
the colour of mushy peas

from the chip shop,
or was it those in pods
fresh from the garden.

I thought that
nothing was clear,
except our good fortune
as I watched the wall crumble
and was glad.

First published in Gorko Gazette

~~

Freire And Illich Are Dead

No more need for
free-schooling,
deschooling,
conviviality
or purpose,
Freire and Illich are dead.

No need for anti-bullying
strategies,
family therapy,
strategies
against exclusions
voluntary
or enforced.
No need for Play Therapy
or Adolescent Therapeutic Centres,
they are as dead as Freire and Illich.

The solution is as sharp and clear
as the banning of blades for sale.
No knives, no stabbings.
And almost cost-free,
free as words
are free.
Just stay out of the kitchen.

First published in Maintenant 19, Three Rooms Press

~~

Dr. Green Bows Out

We called her Flo,
our formidable headmistress
who insisted on every girl achieving
her own personal best.

Competition was discouraged
and no class positions were given,
only individual achievement was celebrated
and pupils were randomly selected for the Houses
which were named after female achievers,
Cavell, Darling, Nightingale, Marvell and Fry.
Streaming was unheard of.

She was so far ahead of her time
we’re still waiting for our time
to catch up.

She believed that women should step out
and be true to themselves
always
so narrow skirts were frowned on
as restricting our freedom.
Black stockings were also forbidden,
however fashionable.
She remembered the campaigns against them
back in her day when they were obligatory
and unfashionable.
I would have been leading,
she told me
so I should not wear them.

She ended her days in a Care Home
where she reclined in a hammock
and sipped her sherry
as she swung.
I would have expected nothing less,
from such a woman.
Always
strong enough
to be true to herself
she chose
a perfect way to leave the stage.

First published in Mocking Owl Roost

~~

They Would Say That

In confidence,
they saw no plagiarism,
only honest and reasonable
citation errors
in a still valid thesis.
But they would say that,
wouldn’t they?
Deny,
deny,
deny,
otherwise
(crossing race and gender boundaries)
the whole house may fall
as others are checked
and checkmated.

Then there’s coursework.
Plagiarism doesn’t start at Doctoral level.
Plagiarism is a well-learned,
well-practiced technique,
(in confidence)
unchecked
so widespread
crossing race and gender boundaries
(in confidence)
Deny,
deny,
deny.
So, in confidence,
none is found,
nothing seen
to be plagiarized,
but,
they would say that,
wouldn’t they?

First published in Oddball