Thanksgiving weekend was really sweet.
Time to head on back to college.
Fun's over... think Classes & Homework.
Wordku: 5-7-5 words
AP: 3rd place 2026
In me, the first day of school is relentless
I wake with old dreads lodged in my chest
My home moves endlessly, it’s countless
Now every moment is a painful unrest
In my breast lies constant trepidation
The first time, I wept for a home longingly
Now I carry homelessness as an affliction
The new kid in me never leaves quietly
New friends are no longer entertainment
Friendship seeps cold in my soul reluctantly
Bred alone I crave crisp disentanglement
Nurture has sealed shyness cellularly
Stay don’t run from the classroom fearfully
Fix sour newness until it’s commonplace
Endless book reports don't close quietly
See newness as novel, not my disgrace
All moments are fresh as a school dance
Keep showing up with perfect attendance
Home from School
A little stream by the village bridge.
Clear cold water over jagged stones
searched for pieces of china in the mud
as we meandered slowly home.
Once-treasured patterns and bits of bones and
a black eel,rolling wave,burrowing far.
We sucked sweet nectar from fuchsia flowers
on our way home from school
Sometimes on lazy summer days,
When the workmen were on the road,
We pressed our toes in black tar bubbles,
And an asphalt oily smell, followed us home
A robin's nest was a sacred find
purple foxglove,waving our fairy hands
a homemade doll,yellow plaited straw
treasures home from school
Off for milk to Twomey's farm,
huge cow-beasts, dirty, with leather-silk skin
in September our berry purple mouths
a juicy feast all the way home
(In my country, Covid season is over and we're now in riot season (sigh), but this was for my son's school assignment.)
Covered in fancy spikes like a velcro ball,
you clink to just a few, but affect us all.
Bouncing throughout lands and traveling for free,
I'd love to be like you and sail every sea.
Silent, famous one, you're the talk of every town.
Corona, king of viruses, you boast your power crown.
Like a ruler, you dictate where I can and cannot go.
School has been cancelled as if there had been snow.
Now I type assignments from my busy laptop
and picture my friends at our empty bus stop.
You hold me inside like a vending machine container,
but since I get to miss school, I won't be a complainer.
6/11/20
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap
Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze
Don't hug or kiss anyone you don't really know
Give folks the personal space they need
We all learned this at home and at school way back when
They called it 'personal hygiene' in those dark days then
Welcome to Home School today,
A typical mum might say,
We'll start with Maths, okay?
First, I have an empty glass,
There is 0 wine here for a blast,
Then I'll pour in half,
Before I top it up,
Now I have 1 whole wine to sup,
Home School does need wine o'clock,
For Mums, not kids, quite a shock,
Stop laughing at Mum, okay,
She flunked Maths too, along the way,
Some Mums are not teachers, okay,
Now who farted? She'll say,
End of Home School for the day!
Her heart is big,
But it slowly beats quiet,
Fun filled moments fading into strangled memories,
Like springs falling into a valley.
She feels like singing a new song and writing poesy,
Before her lay important things looking insignificant,
Eddying like a familiar spirits,
Swinging her back and front like a pendulum.
She closes her eyes to visualize home, God and school,
Again, her reminiscent memories raise her spirit,
And falls her hope,
The threats of unfair and uncertain life,
And the lyrics from unfinished songs keep calling.
Under the desolate surface of the moon,
And tonight,
She hears a voice whispering words soothingly balmy,
Making her stronger than pain,
It is not my voice,
But it blazes the trail to better days with no more tears.
Eve of first school day.
Mom sets up al fresco.
A bowl, scissors and a broom.
Kids in a queue get their haircut.
AP: Honorable Mention 2025
Yes it hurt a little an it hurt a lot
Standing their on the cold wet street
Along waiting for my mom to come and rescue me.
I was searching for my own way
Never knowing who I might would find
Just trying to be a ghost invisible
But their you were you seen me
I wasn't a ghost after all
By the lockers you would wait for me
You were the bully and I hit the walls
In the mornings from 8 to 3 you get to be who you wanna be
Unless you don't fit in or your different like me
Theirs a small town in Alabama one red light to small and hard to breathe
Looking around in my own hell unfortunately Arley was home for me
Butterflies
Big and bright and school bus size
A cloud of yellow butterflies
With the wind did sink and rise
On the way home from school
A hundred if there was a pair
They’re not aggressive – au contraire
They seemed to just float in the air
On the way home from school
The boys and I were mesmerized
Surrounded by these butterflies
Following us to our surprise
On the way home from school
A sight like this is awfully rare
From whence they came we knew not where
All we could do was sit and stare
On the way home from school
If I can then emphasize
And give advice both sage and wise
Always open up your eyes
On the way home from school
Mdailey 4/5/12
Written for my niece at her request following a ride home from school with her boys.
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