The Man Who Taught Me Words

(For Uncle Charles) He stood before us, chalk in hand, A quiet man with eyes that understood More than the textbooks ever could. "Read this aloud," he’d say with a smile, And somehow, my tongue found courage. Each word he gave me became a window— And through those windows, I saw the world. He was more than a teacher— He was a compass when I was lost, A lantern when the page was dark. He never raised his voice, But his silence could build empires inside you. He planted alphabets like seeds, And watched them bloom in my soul. From Grade 5 to 7, he walked beside me, Correcting my grammar, yes— But also showing me That the world could be kind, That a child’s mind was worth shaping. "Believe in yourself," he said once, And I did. Because Uncle Charles said it— And when he spoke, The world felt honest. Now he lives in every sentence I write, In every letter I teach, In every voice I encourage. The man who taught me words Taught me so much more. And if I am anything today— A thinker, a speaker, a soul with stories— It is because he once believed I could be. Thank you, Uncle Charles. You were my first bridge. And I never forgot how to cross.