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| Flickr Creative Commons Photo by Sarah Browning |
THE END
Just when the story's getting good,
I must close the book and return it
to the rightful owner.
I have marked up the text a bit:
underlined key phrases,
jotted notes in the margins.
I've dogeared some pages,
left smears of optimism,
streaked whole paragraphs with my tears,
slept with the book under my pillow,
taken it with me everywhere,
thrown it at the wall in frustration (on more than one occasion).
You'd think by now I would have learned to live
with never knowing the ends of these stories.
I have not.
©Mary Lee Hahn, 2015
There are just a few more days of school left, and I am getting ready to say goodbye, in most cases forever, to the people who have been my life for the past 9 months -- this crazy, quirky bunch of students who bloomed late, but bloomed GLORIOUSLY.
Matt has the Poetry Friday Roundup at Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme.
This is so perfect I know just how you feel, of course. I love loved your metaphor. I'm going to share this with my colleagues today.
ReplyDeleteSCORE. I loooooooove this metaphor, even more than I loved the river one from that other how-we've-touched-each-other poem. Especially like the po-emotion of stanza 4.
ReplyDeleteHave I mentioned that it is 90% likely that I'll be teaching 2nd grade next year? I was grieving, but in the past couple of days I have begun to think about what I can read aloud, never mind what we can WRITE, and I'm getting excited...
Beautifully written 📚 thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYou are a metaphor master. Love this. I said goodbye yesterday. You may like the version of Eleven that I wrote for one of my students who is moving to a private school next year for 6th grade. https://reflectionsontheteche.wordpress.com/2015/05/21/may-the-end/
ReplyDeleteVerklempt.
ReplyDeleteI love this! Perfect! I still don't have internet, so didn't post today, but of course I couldn't live without checking out your PF post. Sharing this right now!
ReplyDeleteSuch a wonderful poem, Mary Lee. The end of each school year was longed for, but always arrived much too quickly!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. And just right.
ReplyDeleteYes, perfect. I'm sharing this link with some teachers I know. I'm sure they'll appreciate it, too!
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday to all, and enjoy the end of the school year!
ReplyDeleteBeautifully written, Mary Lee!
ReplyDeleteThat poem is teacher gold, cuz. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteGone, but not forgotten, Mary Lee. Glorious bloomers most always remember their teachers in their minds and hearts.
ReplyDeleteWe never do get used to not knowing the end of the story...perfectly put. There's something precious about occasionally stumbling across a "book or two" and seeing that the story has continued sweetly!
ReplyDeleteAs a teacher of 26 years, I deem this poem perfect!!! ( That's enough years to deem, right?)
ReplyDeleteI do say goodbye and sometimes link up again with those who leave, but some I never know about. Beautiful words for all us teachers, for others too.
ReplyDeleteLove the metaphor of this poem--wonderful!
ReplyDeletePowerful! Though you don't get to see how the story ends, how amazing to realize you've become part of the story and are part of so many students life stories now! The influence cannot be quantified.
ReplyDeleteMary Lee, with the end of year around the corner there is so much talk about endings & beginnings. Your poem is a beautiful example of what the end of school signifies for many teachers. I especially like this stanza: I've dogeared some pages,
ReplyDeleteleft smears of optimism,
streaked whole paragraphs with my tears/
I would like to show your poem to the SHS English teachers I am working with next week. Today, we looked at Kevin Hodgson's poem, The Key Clicks. Thank you for sharing your work.
My offering is late in coming although I started it a few days ago. Have a great holiday weekend.
(As an aside, the topic for Spiritual Journey Thursday was endings / beginnings so created a poem on new beginnings for my post yesterday.)
You perfectly capture the poignant and bittersweet end of the school year. Enjoy your summer, dearie!
ReplyDeleteOh, those unfinished stories. But what an influence you have had on them. Because of you, their endings will be better! Happy (bittersweet) end of the year!
ReplyDeleteWow, Mary Lee - you inspire on so many levels. Best wishes as you transition from another spring to another summer.
ReplyDeleteThis sums it up perfectly, Mary Lee. Bravo!
ReplyDeletePerfectly poignant - enjoy each day.
ReplyDelete