Andrea Dietrich Poet Free verse

The Weird Kids

I can still picture Janno – a sweet nerdy cross-eyed girl from my school
who wore unflattering clothing and oddly-framed glasses.
Her grandmother was my unsimiling fifth grade teacher,
and later in Junior high, her father was my science teacher.

Barklay was the gangly weird boy, the one nobody hung around with.
The ugly house he lived on was way up on a hill.
It was dark and lonesome looking – this strangely haunted looking house,
almost a metaphor for Barklay himself.
There were rumors of bad things happening there.
I was just in grade school and not totally aware
that his parents perhaps were real life monsters,
and maybe that’s why Barklay came to school
dressed shoddily, with hair uncombed and dirty.

I’d walked home from school with both these kids
at one time or another (though not with them together at the same time).
I have no memory of what I ever talked with each one of them about.
Normally I walked with my sisters or friends I came to know.
Not that popular myself, I had always had a soft spot for underdogs.
And for whatever reason, I just recall walking home with them.

Once in a great while, they cross my mind. What became of them?
I fear poor Barklay stood little chance for a good future.
I don’t recall seeing Janno after grade school. Did she move?
I hope she blossomed, and I bet that she became a teacher!

Dec. 9, 2020 
for L Milton Hankins'  Story From Your Childhood Poetry Contest

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Jennifer Proxenos December 15, 2020 at 6:48 AM Hi Andrea, really enjoyed your poem about your class mates, what they were like and that you think of them. My mother was a nursery school teacher she had one was naughty one and absolute nerd among the pupils. One day Christopher the naughty one brought a red hot pepper to school and said to Blair, the nerd, if you eat this I'll be your best friend, and the poor child did, my mother had to call the ambulance - Blair fainted and went to hospital. Bad boys will always be bad boys! H & B Jenn.

Lindsay Laurie December 13, 2020 at 2:53 PM Hello Andrea … your poem certainly lifted old memories about my time at state school. Now and then look over school photos and go searching on the Internet for some - thanks Andrea - Lindsay

Regina Mcintosh December 10, 2020 at 4:55 AM A childhood filled with hope for the heart - Kindness drifting throughout your inspiring thoughts. God Bless you sweet lady. You're a blessing to so many - I N S P I R E on...

Andrew John December 10, 2020 at 3:07 AM Yes, an interesting narrative. Thank you.

Victor Buhagiar December 9, 2020 at 11:23 PM Life produces all kinds of being. You are kind to befriend such "friends". ~~

John Watt December 9, 2020 at 8:35 PM I suppose a lot of us felt kind of weird when we were kids, but you're tale seems to be about the ones who got picked on a lot and never quite fit in. A very sympathetic write, my friend. Andrea Dietrich December 10, 2020 at 7:41 AM yes, maybe I could have thought of a better word to describe them, but weird covers a LOT of ground. And Janno and Barklay were very different from each other. Square pegs maybe?

Caren Krutsinger December 9, 2020 at 10:50 AM I enjoy this slice of life, and seeing your empathy parading about, thinking, always thinking, Andrea. Have you looked either of them up on Social media? I do sometimes. Andrea Dietrich December 9, 2020 at 1:28 PM don't know how I would ever find Janno because she would have a new last name probably and I never saw her at high school reunions. I think maybe poor Barklay died. For some reason I recall a kid like him dying after we graduated and it may have been him. I do not even know his last name. (I should dig up my old jr high yearbook and see if he was even in my junior high school