Touching Hearts

This poem was inspired by Mrs. Dianne McGee’s post earlier on Face Book. It was the very first day of school In Mrs. Thompson’s 5th. Grade class An untruth came from inside her That probably wouldn’t be the last She’d said she loved everyone of them But in reality one of them just didn’t suit her eye The ragged clothes, his unkempt ways And the boy sometimes would cry She’d noticed him the year before And for some reason he just didn’t fit in His body odor, his wayward eyes And his frame that seemed pretty thin She prayed he’d just quit her class And no longer put a burden on the school She delighted in giving him big lettered F’s As she just thought of him as a fool Today was the day for student evaluations And boy was she going to toss the book At the ragged good for nothing kid That probably would become just a crook She decided to read what his other teachers wrote And sat back in her easy chair A surprised look came upon her face As she could only blink and stare Miss Ellen, his first grade teacher Said he was a joy to be around And his second grade teacher agreed No finer student could be found His third grade teacher however Said he just couldn’t seem to adjust Since his mother died of leukemia There was nobody he would trust The fourth grade teacher told of his dad A drunkard who beat Timmy now and again The boy then went inside his shell And that’s where he’s always been Mrs. Thompson was beside herself Lord if she had only known She wouldn’t have put Timmy down While she sat highly upon her throne Today was Mrs. Thompson birthday And the children brought presents in All wrapped and sealed at the store “Now where shall I begin?” She opened every present And thanked each child in return But when she saw a wrinkled bag Her eyes just watered and burned Inside the bag was a half empty bottle Of perfume Timmy had saved of his mom’s She sprayed some upon her and smiled For what little Timmy had done When recess rolled around at last And the other children ran out to play Timmy spoke to Mrs. Thompson “You smelled just like my mommy today”