Did I Miss Anything?
by Tom Wayman
Nothing. When we realized you weren’t here
we sat with our hands folded on our desks
in silence, for the full two hours
Everything. I gave an exam worth
40 percent of the grade for this term
and assigned some reading due today
on which I’m about to hand out a quiz
worth 50 percent
(the rest of the poem goes back and forth between nothing and everything HERE, at Billy Collins' and the Library of Congress' Poetry 180 site)
I've been away from school and the hectic pace of life for a week and I vacillate between feeling like I've missed everything and nothing.
Don't miss the Poetry Friday round up -- it's at Carol's Corner this week.
We've had a couple of changes in Poetry Friday round up hosts: Liz and Terry traded (Liz is now hosting on 10/15 and Terry is on 11/12); Andi is taking 10/22 since Mary Ann will be traveling to Minnesota for KidLitCon.
Speaking of KidLitCon...are you coming? We (Amy, Toby, Mary Ann, Laura Salas, Elaine and I) hope to see you in our Poetry Friday session! Check out the KidLitCon schedule here.
Mary Lee, I love this poem! It feels so true, about every minute of my life. I hope that you are feeling strong and healthy and able to enjoy your weekend - here it looks to be a beautiful one. KidLitCon...here we COME! A.
ReplyDeleteYay! While I love finding a poem that sees a familiar thing in a new way, I love even more discovering a poem that sees a whole new thing.
ReplyDeleteI'm in agony that I'm not getting to KidLitCon. Full reports please!
I love that poem too! LOL I am sure I will be missing EVERYTHING and bomb 110% of the grade by missing out on KidLitCon, but I'm ever so glad I can do the Poetry Friday round up that eve to try to earn some extra credit...
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed that poem for years, Mary Lee -- he puts it so well.
ReplyDeleteYour Poetry Friday session at KidLitCon sounds like it will be wonderful. How could it not be, with all of you there?
Great poem. Hope you are doing okay; I tend to believe that nothing significant could have happened in your absence :). Have fun at KidLitCon!
ReplyDeleteI know that feeling - I just couldn't put it quite so beautifully.
ReplyDeleteHi, Mary Lee. I come back to this poem at the beginning of every school year. It's brilliant.
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