Best Learning Poems
Many a year so far
a sweet sensation would within surge
as back to school season
has just begun..
The feelings of a child
eager and joyful
to pile notebooks, pencils and pens
excited to have them all in a schoolbag..
Even as a teacher
that sweet habit, that unique joy
got wild much more!
a deep conception
that a smile, a word
could change a world
a strong conviction
that teaching is a vocation
a mind trained to train
a heart able to see and comprehend
confused faces
gazing at you
seeking the secret of success!
day dreamers, untamed teens
aspiring to reach and own
the treasure within..
Many a year by this time
soul and whole
I would wonder
what would I utter
of words
willing to sow the seeds of passion
in virgin lands
to instill a love of learning
a deep sensitivity
to guide to goals
to cultivate creativity..
What would I teach of lessons
use of methods
to inspire young souls
and their imagination kindle!
Now I’m back to school
with a load on the heart
a sense of culpability
torn about what I should
and must do..
The world of teaching
a hallmark of my identity
leaving that part of me
a possibility
even a necessity..
My heart aches for the realm of poetry
the power of words
that translate my innermost emotions and reflections
their magic
that transcends what is ordinary..
I have a longing for
a sense of belonging to
the world of words
I am an avid reader and learner
with a passion for creative writing
and leaving a world
would not mean
ceasing to be..
Lessons of Autumn
Summaries of schooling
— lessons upon lessons guiding
Thoughts in class after class…as bells ring…
Volumes to consider about ways of interpreting…
As the world takes Life on a continuous spin
— round and around — outside and within —
Orbits, tides, seasons, moods, visions…
Lessons taught that Winter is The Dead or Hibernating;
Spring is Re-birth; Summer is The Growing;
And Autumn? Well, students were asked to see
— symbollically, spiritually, scientifically —
That Autumn is the season of Dying, of Leaving.
Autumn, the antithesis of Spring;
Autumn, the harvesting, the taking away
from the earth Spring’s born and
Summer’s grown.
Autumn is the drying, wilting, wrinkling;
The changing from acting to waiting…
And ending.
But, in Autumn, Mother Nature displays
Some greater lessons using God’s deeper palette:
To layer by layer paint, and year by year present
How Autumn’s weeks pass on
Gifting the hemispheres with her splendors
In a glorious prelude to turning with life,
Tier upon tier, into a new year.
All around, Autumn transforms the landscape
From too monochrome into blended tones
Of copper…and red…and yellow aside goldened greens
That shiver before the backing blankets
of violet horizons;
And often the trees for awhile, may even
lean in together to endure
The colder winds and rains pattering.
~ When sweeping Autumn begins,
Leaf by leaf breaks off from branches and twigs…
And, by design created, floats down,
Each laying on a palm of air, to soften
The fall ~
The living in nature all have their seasons…As we
Too, grow on the many branching pathways of our own,
Hopefully learning the value and beauty
In the circling of all time’s teaching seasons…
As each and every leaf sways, wafts, flutters, twirls,
Slowly waltzing down to the waiting earth,
To lay there, with such vibrant color,
Over the dust that made us.
Autumn always,
is time’s heavy curtain,
Taking its cue to fall…
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(c) sally young eslinger 10/2023
If I do this then this will happen.
That's the way it goes.
Though why some fail to learn this,
The Good Lord only knows.
Some people fail to understand,
There's right and then there's wrong.
When you go against the rules,
You sing a woeful song.
Certain rules cannot be bent.
Some things are just not done.
While you may think it's no big deal,
It can be a loaded gun.
It could be something that you said,
Or something you have done.
Perhaps a little bit of both,
That made things come undone.
Sometimes when we say things in jest,
Folks don't understand.
They think you mean the things you say,
And think you're less than grand.
We should learn to mind our manners,
And learn to curb our candor.
Don't be a fool, learn basic rules,
And we'll raise much less dander.
Err on the side of caution .
Don't let your manners go south.
Make sure you say just what you mean.
Keep your foot out of your mouth.
Over fifty years have passed,
Tho’ it seems like just the other day;
My father gave me golf clubs,
“It’s a game you need to learn to play.”
He said, “It’s very difficult, but so is life.
There’s more to learn than grip and swing and rules,
Like honesty and dealing with adversity;
Then, pointing to his head, “… and how to use ALL your tools.
Play the Course… and Mother Nature…
Focus on just one shot at a time;
Try to learn from each of your mistakes;
Then, do your best to leave them behind.
These clubs will teach you more
Than our ‘man to man’ talks.
This you'll learn for yourself,
So you can “walk the walk.”
“Practice makes better, but not perfect.
And always remember what they say:
‘”Golf is not a game that we can win.
It’s just a game we play.’”
His lessons served me very well,
Took them to heart and play the game.
And life is much like a round of golf.
Despite the bad shots, I’m always glad I came.
It amazes me how much man has evolved
Yet, How little he has learned
All around the globe
Millions die of disease and starvation
While the ever so intelligent creature known as man
Spends millions upon millions of dollars every single day
Killing each other
Instead of finding cures for the ill or feeding starving children
Oh sure, we dabble in those efforts
But we are committed to killing each other
Governments all around the globe
Spend most of their money
On their armies
Either to defend or attack
Their enemies
Supposedly, the most intelligent creature on earth
The intellectual creature known as man
If I may go so far
Mans commitment to war and killing
Goes far beyond any one mans term in office
It goes far beyond any one mans lifetime
It goes far beyond any century or any one era
From beginning to end, top to bottom
East to west, north to south
Red, yellow, brown, black or white
Our commitment to killing each other
Is undeniable
How can a species that is smart enough to split atoms
Creating weapons that will kill millions
Still be stupid enough to do it?
And now I see on the science channel
That man has now devised the Platonic beam
A beam of light that just disintegrates the target in an instant
At what price you ask?
Well I don’t know but I reckon if we diverted that money
To say solar energy projects
They could probably put a solar energy system
On every home in the world for free
Thus solving the energy crisis
Not to mention food in the icebox and medicine in the cabinet
Because of course when you create such an amazing new weapon
You need an entire new type of ship to deploy it from
Thus is born the next generation of war birds
They jettison into space
Then go into super afterburner (A jet engine minus oxygen)
Which they said would reach like 20,000 miles an hour
So you could shoot halfway around the world
Disintegrate your enemy
And be home in time for supper
I believe when speaking of politics
It’s not a National Crisis
It’s a Global Epidemic
When life gives you all you need
And you fly to the highest altitude,
Before you run out oxygen
Climb the learning curve of gratitude.
When life withholds all you need
And you start to get an attitude,
Before you drown in despair
Climb the learning curve of gratitude.
When you don't live up to your own standards
Give yourself some latitude,
And walk your way out of depression, and
Climb the learning curve of gratitude.
When you're losing your direction
And noise replaces your solitude,
Walk back to the peace and still, and
Climb the learning curve of gratitude.
When you feel you can't get lower
Just remember His beatitudes,
It's the humble that inherits all things, so
Climb the learning curve of gratitude.
Wonder, wander, list and lust
to learn anew until you bust.
Read, search, question and look
for paths you thought you never took.
A world awaits, new kingdoms come.
New skies, new roads, puzzles done.
Machines man made, a technocrat
to realize some oft-quoted stat.
Never too old, and not too late
to learn and learn for learning's sake.
So open heart and open mind
Seek on. Seek out. It's learning time.
This baby is being born with hardly a belly button the angel declared.
Yes, this is a special one sent to a family who is kind and understanding
It is not every parent who can raise a child like this one thus the button lack.
He is on the spectrum? Yes, a rainbow child, someone overly unique.
I have never seen another one.
How long have you been doing this?
Sixteen years.
You might not see another one for another sixteen.
Truly!
These rainbow children are special beyond special.
Sent to teach life lessons and patience to parents and teachers.
Sent to show peers that people do not all have to think the same things.
Showing them that being passionate about one subject is all right.
Sometimes even desirable. This one loves trains; it all about trains for him.
Will his nursery be in trains?
No. His parents have not met him yet.
They are doing his room up in dinosaurs.
Will he like that too? No He will scream and wail about it.
Will they know to change it?
Someday as they learn.
This is why we send the rainbow children.
To teach the world.
The angel smiled at the baby, in awe.
‘ Lil tyke
New Bike
Big deal
Two wheel
A crash
Road rash
Don't cry
Re-try
He rides
with pride!
Learning in life should stop not,
cause life itself, in every phase teaches us alot!!
When did I learn to walk?
The awkward stance,
a toddler’s uncertain step,
stumbling, falling,
getting up again until
rhythm of feet and
balance work in sequence,
was that when I learned
to walk? No.
When did I learn to walk?
Kindergarten marches,
a military parade of sorts
around a classroom,
rhythm band instruments
in hand, banging on toy
cymbals and drums
to the measured beat
of feet and blare of
prerecorded sound? No.
When did I learn to walk?
Was it the long hours
in marching band
practicing routines,
memorizing music,
and the beating of feet
on hot pavement along
humid parade routes on
July mornings in hot
woolen uniforms? No.
When did I begin
to learn to walk?
From the moment
I held your hand, strolling
by the Strand Theater
on the sidewalks of St.
Paul, along the shores
of Lake Como on
Spring and Summer nights,
through Rosedale, your
hand in mine as we looked
at engagement rings
in jewelry store windows
and dreamed dreams.
I learned to walk
in earnest down
the aisle of
St. Bridget of Sweden,
into a new wedded
life filled with
wonder and love,
the many walks of
pregnancies, Pitocin
drip walks down
hospital corridors,
during nights with
restless infants, and
sick children, to
parks and baseball
diamonds, plays
and musicals, concerts
and gymnasiums,
graduations, weddings,
funerals, grandchildren,
all of them walks
along the spherical
path of life.
To walk with you is
to learn how to love,
each measured step,
a grace-filled journey
to something greater,
far beyond and far better
than the stumbling steps
that I could have
made on my own.
To walk with you,
is to see the
world with different
eyes, colors bursting
through the greys,
warmth on the
coldest of days, your
voice floating, playing
delightfully in the air
alongside until the
sound settles gently,
gracefully in my ears.
We have walked many
steps together in life,
my gait now not as steady,
these days of uncertain
limbs, joints and cane.
In walking with you,
new discoveries never
end, new beginnings
abound, and that
with you, the first,
and the finest of
all teachers, learning
to walk is never
fully learned.
One day (I don’t remember when), but I
could see the moon quite clearly in the sky.
It made me feel like things had gone awry!
Silly thought, I had one – could moon then be the sun?
Was sun now on the run – no, sun had well begun.
I wish I could recall the time of day
when old man moon seemed so well on display
or if the sky were bright or a bit gray.
The facts gave me a feast - this much I found at least:
well after new moon's ceased – the sun sets in the east.
The sun and sky give proof we can't deny
and show when moon is seen by anyone.
In daylight, one should not the moon survey.
If it is full, then we have all been fleeced.
Learning is listening.
Listening is wanting.
Wanting is longing for capture and holding.
Holding can be understanding, if we are prone to loving.
Loving is everything!
I, I have to start again.
Learning is loving.
Loving is willingness to listen.
Listening is patience to hear.
Hearing allows a conversation.
Conversation means two people are listening.
Does it?
I, I have to start again.
Conversation is dialog.
Dialog is expressing perspective.
Perspective leads to opinion.
Opinion is always relative.
Relative opinions suspend reality.
Reality and relatives are subjective.
It’s too hard to remain relative with relatives,
I, I have to start again.
Relativity is reality.
Reality leads to focus.
Focus underlies understanding.
Understanding is awareness.
Awareness depends on willingness.
Willingness depends on longing.
Longing depends on loving.
Loving is everything!
I, I have to start again….
I hear you're learning to drive...
Straight Ahead, make No U-Turn!
Beware each Speed Bump Ahead.
Naught can Tow Away your dreams.
Do not lose focus - Stay Right.
Do not fear any Sharp Curve.
Do not Yield to impatience
(Do Not Enter that sad scene).
There's One Way - let wisdom guide,
Stop when your vision gets blurred.
Keep Clear of every Dead End,
Proceed With Caution, boldly!
She comes to a strange world, a lustrous pearl
A cadenza of angelic beauty
Orchestrating her strange star, this wee girl
From moonbeams and sun swirls a young cutie
Not a puddle she sits, but a mirror
Of magic images that twirl and swirl.
Excited giggles at still clustered stir
she stands, jumps, and tilts in a giddy whirl
No fear in her wee world of excitement
Curious to figure out, nothing more
As her wee life unfurled with an ardent
Consistent of eagerness to explore
4/14/2019