Bj Legros Kelley Poet Rhyme

Notes About The Poem

Teacher's Refining Fire

You were my least liked teacher,
                    ball of fire
        Your red tresses bouncing,
              your flaming ire
          When misspelled words
                      in ash 
                    dust white
         That blackboard smoked, 
             your burning might
       Of lazy penned words written
                       lame
      Though, you never shared the 
                      names 
         It was so often clear to see
         The guilty squirm in misery

       You calculated with your eyes
                   Guilt verdict 
                  with no alibies.
                And, oh! so often
                     it was me
                    I'd hide if I 
                  could ever be
          Small as tissue, in the trash
         With burning cheeks, on face
                       of ash

        OH! You made me very mad
       The toughest teach I ever had
      But then you introduced to class
       A golden gift to this young lass
     You spoke, "Now we'll do poetry!"
       A subject that was dear to me

      I looked for beauty in the place
               I'd always felt was
                    a disgrace
    I missed the green hills and the bay
                I missed the joys
                   of San Jose
                But look, I must,
                for beauty there
      The desert land that felt so bare

       'Out in the desert, late at night'
         My little hand began to write
              ' The coyotes sing,
                crickets keep beat 
        Cool night's joy, replaces heat
      The owl sets out on nightly quest
            "Who, whoo's my meal?" 
                   ever his jest
             The man in the moon 
                witnessed escapes
                     Wild dashes 
             for thorn bush drapes
                 The merry stars 
               with twinkling eyes 
          Laughed at the hoot owl's 
                   great surprise
         Kangaroo rat leaps in delight
        Out in the desert late at night'

                Teacher, the warmth 
                     that I found 
                     in your eyes
                   When you wrote
                       my poem
                to my utter surprise
            In a gentle running script,
                        a hush
                  Fell on our class, 
               as I started to blush
  
               Dear teacher kept me 
                     after class
                    "Well done!"  
                       said she 
                 to this young lass
                     
                    Oh, Teacher! 
              Your sweet gift I hold
                 Your refiner's fire,
                  refining our gold
                   I held your gift, 
                  and, in my heart,
                      I let it burn, 
                  and play its part
           
                     I promised 
                    and studied, 
                 all that summer
               You taught me to be 
                  an overcomer
                  For in the fall
               With summer past
                 I was top speller
                    in my class

♡Like0

Share Poem

---

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Valsa George March 2, 2022 at 8:53 PM Some teachers are like her.... they will burn the students in their ire (fire) to make them come out in dazzling gold ! I was drawn to this poem seeing the title, for I too have been a teacher ! I love teaching, but have always been gentle...( that's what m students say...Lol ) "I held your gift, and, in my heart, I let it burn, and play its part".... your gift is not burning, it is blazing ! Beautiful..... indeed....Into my FAV. Bj Legros Kelley March 3, 2022 at 11:07 AM Aw, Valsa, how precious! God bless you! My teacher did have a gentle side after all, but her loving heart was one of refining fire :) She poured all of her ire at the blackboard with our misspelled words. She could turn a withering eye to any who tried to enter into pretending they didn't own their work though! I'm glad you were a gentle teacher, your gift is a precious gift that will not fade <3 God bless you my friend, I'm glad this poem is a FAV for you! I am very honored! <3 ~BJ

Marikate Kingston January 19, 2022 at 11:51 AM Bittersweet for you at first wasn't it? How nice your story had a happy ending, your teacher, finally a champion of your talent. (already there) I am one of 17 years and your poem resonates w/me and my son who won spelling bees in elementary school. It is a beautiful moving poem. I can't express how delighted I was to find it for so many reasons. Bj Legros Kelley February 9, 2022 at 7:43 PM Mrs. Sears annoyance was directed at the words written on that blackboard for all to see, but she kept it secret of whose work was on the board. Even if a guilty student pretended it was not their work and joined in on the laughter and asked the question with the rest of the class "Who did that? Was it you? You?" THAT was the most awkward position of all to put oneself in because her fiery eyes then looked directly at that guilty student; said student would melt into a red-faced guilty squirm immediately, her firm GAZE was also like fire! I am too late to communicate my appreciation to her, but thank you, Mrs. Kingston, on behalf of those you teach. Many of your students will look back and wish they had thanked you, so please accept my gratefulness on their behalf. God bless you and many hugs to you! Thank you for your beautiful comment, it is a treasure to me. ~BJ Bj Legros Kelley February 9, 2022 at 7:27 PM I'm very honored that this poem has blessed you. What a difficult task when a teacher cares but the students don't. How does one reach through to the very fragile and immature intellect of precious children? If assertion is aimed directly at a timid child, the student can be hurt worse and pull deeper into themselves, yet doomed to failure if they cannot communicate essentials to success as in writing? She was very intelligent and gifted to use her tools of a chalkboard and chalk so creatively, it made us own our own work, or lack of it. Her method made our lack of effort go straight to our own conscience. I'm out of room again, so I will have to continue <3 Bj Legros Kelley February 9, 2022 at 7:20 PM Marikate, your beautiful words mean so much to me. Though I can't reach out to my former teacher who would now be a very old lady, if she's still alive, I'm glad it has reached you and touched your heart. I'm sure there are students who will feel this same gratitude toward you, even if you're not aware of it just now. My hope as I wrote this poem was to honor her memory as well as others like her, and to inspire current champions of education, because it is a high calling. I have more to say, but this comment box limits me, so it will come in parts <3 ;)

Judy Ball January 14, 2022 at 9:55 AM This is a wonderful tribute to a teacher who you learned to appreciate and even in the end revere. Good Stuff. God Bless, JB PS I too love to read and love books. In summer I sit in my garden swing with them, My favorite place. Bj Legros Kelley January 14, 2022 at 11:23 AM Thank you so much Judy, yes, she had a real gift, that is for sure <3 PS: I was quite amazed at P.S. Awtry's comment on one of your poems of faith, that it would be nice to publish an anthology of certain topics, such as faith. I had been reading your poems and thought just that, how wonderful it would be to be able to read these uplifting poems away from the computer screen as I read your poems! I commented and now see that you read that <3 I really would treasure your printed work, as well as the many other works of like poets in a precious book of faith-based inspiration. I love to read and write in the beauty of my flower garden. Confirmation ;) E-book at the very least? <3

Andrea Dietrich January 13, 2022 at 9:06 AM this is lovely writing, my friend. The teacher sounds a bit cruel but in the end, you learned and loved poetry and even became a good speller. I guess we can find good in everything! Bj Legros Kelley January 14, 2022 at 11:12 AM Thank, you Andrea. I felt she was over the top at first, but I found her motives were pure and her ire was truly aimed at the poor work. She never exposed us, just the misspelled words, and the conscience of the guilty burned when we saw our own words judged. I am truly grateful to her. I began reading the great poets at age nine, a gift of the love of poetry from my grown-up sister Barbara, through her books that she graciously lent me. I was penning small poems already, but Mrs. Sears told me "I have never seen a child able to write poetry like this in my life, this is very good!" She went on to encourage me to fix the spelling errors and to study the dictionary, she said it could be my best friend :). She taped my poem to the window of our classroom near the door till the end of the school year. She was my greatest inspiration of my own work at that time; I'll adore her forever. She was a true hero of education.

Tom Hanks January 8, 2022 at 1:56 PM BJ, you have incredible rhyming ability! So musical. Thank you for sharing it! Bj Legros Kelley January 9, 2022 at 1:46 PM Thank you for stopping by, reading my poem and for these uplifting words Tom. I know that she helped me, like no other, to be able to write. Her fiery passion, and then her gentle encouragement to me at that time were monumental in my life. Your words have blessed me! Thank you so much. Happy 2022!

Charles Messina January 8, 2022 at 4:17 AM BJ, I love this write. I think most everyone had that one special teacher that really cared. I know I did. Sounds like Mrs. Sears left her ashes on you forever. Some people we meet in life do get their wings even before they depart. Love & hugs and Happy New Year to you. Charlie Bj Legros Kelley January 9, 2022 at 1:29 PM Thank you so much Charles, she was but one of the precious teachers that I believed really cared. Her passion was incredible. She didn't actually attack us; she attacked those words that we knew we owned, never revealing the names. We usually knew from the uncomfortable squirms or red faces, very uncomfortable! I'm glad I honored her in this poem. She did leave her ashes on me, almost an ember really! Thank you so much for dropping by with your kind words <3

Bryan Norton January 7, 2022 at 1:07 PM BJ, you have an amazing gift. I seldom see such comfortable rhyming. When you rhyme at this level, your rhyme is more liberating than confining. Believe me, I know. My own rhyme is greeting card-ish. I wish I could express the depth of my feeling in a comparable way. I look forward to reading you more thoroughly. Bj Legros Kelley January 7, 2022 at 1:37 PM Thank you for stopping by and reading my poem Bryan, and for this encouraging comment. I dropped over and read your poem about nourishing the soul, I loved it! You write very well. Sometimes I wrestle with poems, sometimes they seem to flow, especially when there is a strong force of passion motivating it. This poem was about someone who had a passionate gift of teaching, I wanted to honor her memory. I'm so glad that it flowed well as her memory burned in my heart. Thank you for stopping by with such kind words!

Mike Gentile January 4, 2022 at 4:39 AM BJ, I was mesmerized by your write! Teachers are to be treasured and your tribute brought back memories of my own! Thank you for sharing such a beautiful gift! Happy Tuesday!!! Bj Legros Kelley January 4, 2022 at 1:21 PM Thank you so very much Mike, they are. I have memories of many different teachers. In California, where we had lived formerly, I had to leave behind my favorite teacher when we moved. She was so gentle, kind, and I loved it when she was on playground duty and I would stick by her side, she allowed me to hold her hand while she monitored recess. I was, I guess, sort of a teacher's pet with that one. Leaving our town, our friends, our school, the beauty of our town when we moved just about destroyed me. I would have certainly fallen through the cracks of my earthquake of loss had not this teacher come into my life. Mrs. Sears was like a controlled fire, who set out to burn up the weeds that we children allowed to spring up in our lives so carelessly in our studies. She cared to make us care more! I am forever grateful to her. I'm so glad this touched you! Happy Tuesday to you as well Mike! Thank you so much for stopping by with your kind words of encouragement!

Besma Riabi Dziri January 4, 2022 at 1:30 AM I truly understand and see your stand.. teaching could not be simply giving golden rules.. learning could not be merely going to schools.. it is much more than that.. it is developing a genuine bond.. trying to share interests.. understanding needs.. tolerating differences.. building trust.. showing respect.. adding to others.. accepting to learn from each other.. marking lives.. Your teacher, as I feel, in this dimension of beauty and succeeded in her vocation to mark souls and inspires as she sets her fire.. I so much relate to your amazing poetry! My deepest regards and blessings to you, BJ Legros. Thank you so much for sharing such a beauty! Bj Legros Kelley January 4, 2022 at 1:06 PM Thank you Besma, I am so blessed and touched by your visit and sweet comment. I had other teachers that I respected and miss, but never one this passionate about making us care to learn. This teacher had set out to stir us up, she was little, but that was not a deterrent to her fiery power. She wielded her chalk confidently! She was very confident and tough. Most of the teachers were very kind and looked away at such things. No one ever really cared so much about the red check marks on the paper, they only hurt a little. We did care when our own shoddy work was written in her fire across the blackboard. We were ashamed. We saw the importance of doing well or suffer consequence! But the warmth I discovered in her when I tried, was amazingly rewarded. Her vocation was a true gift that she did not shirk. I'm glad I honored her memory in this poem.

Connie Marcum Wong January 4, 2022 at 1:09 AM BJ, the emotion that builds up as I read your poem made me teary eyed. If we are very lucky when growing up, we will encounter a teacher like this that will not only inspire us but will change the course of our lives. Your brilliant poem conveys this message so beautifully. You not only found a treasure in her, but she saw the treasure in you. A fave! I loved it! xxoo Bj Legros Kelley January 4, 2022 at 12:48 PM Thank you so much Connie! I am honored to honor her memory. I tried looking her up, but I don't remember if I even knew her first name. The elementary school I went to has since closed. This is the only way I can honor her. She would be a very old lady if she is still on earth. If not, that ball of fire is probably shining brightly in heaven. I'm blessed this is a fav for you!

Regina Mcintosh January 3, 2022 at 4:55 PM This is brilliant! I just love it. So adorable and warm and simply the best - Love it. God bless you always. A fave. Love, Gina Bj Legros Kelley January 3, 2022 at 5:31 PM I was going to say, I was little for eleven, but she was not much taller than me with heals! She was one powerful little ball of fire. I treasure her. I'm so glad this is a fave for you! I am super honored. You are such a blessing to me <3 Bj Legros Kelley January 3, 2022 at 5:29 PM Thank you so much Gina. I thought of my sixth grade teacher as I wrote this poem. I was little for my age, and had become incredibly withdrawn after we moved from the Bay Area of California. The sweet little town and the awesome school I went to were such a joy to me, and when moving away, I was simply devastated. This teacher not only made me embarrassed for not studying, she helped me to see why spelling was so important to my own love of poetry. I began writing poetry at that time. She was a mighty warrior against my worst enemy...myself!

Vijay Pandit January 3, 2022 at 2:57 PM I enjoyed reading your story, BJ. I feel the emotions flowing throughout cherishing sweet memory of a well earned recognition. A moment of joy that became a treasure for you. Bj Legros Kelley January 3, 2022 at 5:23 PM Yes Vijay, this is emotional. I was afraid of her; I didn't understand her motives. I had loved school when I lived in my old hometown that was about ten miles north of San Jose California. My mom had to force me with my dad's and siblings help to stay home from school when I was sick, and when we moved, I fell apart. Everything was different, everything. I stopped trying. This teacher lit me with a fire, and helped me to see beauty where I saw only barren sadness before. Her name was Mrs. Sears. Even her name 'Sears; was hot to me...like searing my guilty conscience of not doing my homework! <3 Thank you for stopping by!