The Florida schools I knew—
Were fashioned to undo—
A Child—of unassuming Mind—
They tested—what was True—
They pressed my Thinking—into shape—
Too narrow for my own—
And struck me—when my Answer leapt—
Untethered—yet full-grown—
They bade me show the Steps I took—
Though Insight has no trace—
It blossoms—like a Lightning-flash—
Too swift to Keep my Pace—
And Bullies—stationed at the Doors—
Were given quiet Leave—
While Teachers—kept their knitted Peace—
As if Pain—might relieve—
I wondered—had great Einstein bent—
Beneath such daily Blows—
If Relativity—could of Bloomed—
Where Hostile Classrooms grew—
For Elementary—Middle Years—
Were Corridors of Trial—
And every Day—another Proof
That Learning—ment Exile—
So—long before the Eighth was through—
I slipped beyond their Chart—
Preferring Freedom—Hard and Vast—
To lessons—taught by Hurt—
And though their Purpose—was to break—
Some piece of Me—remained—
A quiet Sum—no Blackboard holds—
By the Suffering—I sustained.
My daddy—he once told me
don’t ever play with nuns
they’ll hit you with their rulers
it won’t be any fun
I snuck out of that prison
and now I’m on the run
Once freed from that schoolhouse
I sunbathed in the sun
I stayed out late, I went on dates
looking out for number-one
When I think of what I went through
of all the tired repressive lies
I keep running wise, in slick disguise
my purpose is renewed
Don’t ever let ‘em tell you
you can’t have any fun
If they preach that hackneyed drivel
grab some things and run
.
.
Songs for this:
Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) by Elton John & Dua Lipa
I'm Still Standing by Elton John
Webster: hackneyed = uninteresting, unfun, dull and unoriginal.
*stolen almost directly, in spirit anyway, from that freewheeling rebel, Johnny Cash
**My first 8 years of school were parochial
US SCHOOLS, US RULES
Yes, in the USA and probably some other places too
Distances are such that they still do bus kids to school
A good local service, as many would agree that’s true
But car drivers in a hurry should never act like a fool
If held up whenever a yellow school bus might stop
The law enforceable rear sign means stop, it is a rule
One never can be sure that there isn’t a nearby cop
Overtaking a parked school bus always risks shunts
Accept the fine, it’s never worth taking it to the top
The driver or monitor can’t be everywhere at once
There will be a kid, who may just suddenly appear
But if they are hit, it’s the driver who is the dunce
They say, don’t ignore the stop sign, but never fear
‘Cos we don’t do big yellow school busses over here
There are now nooks and crannies in elementary school classrooms.
Places for children to slither and slide into
When they need a break
When they despise multiplication facts
When they are tired of reading
When I was a child I would have spent all day in one of these crannies
Ignoring the teacher as hard as I could
I sent my daughter to the finest schools
where she learned all the golden rules
Race-baiting pays, one's pronouns are weighed
with marijuana fill up the ashtrays
'B-' student in high school, all 'A's' in college
'Hmmm,' I thought to myself, 'No way!'
Then I glanced at the names of her courses
'Kweer Poetry' and 'Intro to Transphobic Horses'
So, I told my daughter she'd have to transfer
into 'Business' ~ to be a hemp entrepeneur
In schools' time tables better stay,
In conversations have its way,
Of hope offers a genuine ray:
The sex act not a thing of play...
Children could themselves with sex slay,
For its sought chance fervently pray,
No longer for Fried-Rice filled tray;
Fried Rice thrash with fun far from gay...
In schools' time tables won't hatch fray;
Cases high who has gone astray:
Big tears at the end of some day;
Let true wisdom like the wind sway...
Sex Education to tell "stay"
To seminars not saying "Nay"
A bright morning later goes gray
It's been a reckless "Come, what may".
Kicking and hitting used to be unusual in a classroom.
In many classrooms it is same-oh-same-oh these days.
Icy screams that raise hair on your neck are becoming normal.
Sadly, parents are not in school to see what is happening.
They would be horrified at the behaviors we tolerate.
“You are not in trouble” is our mantra, but they should be.
Worse, out-of-control behaviors are worth a reward.
An out of control student can get a “break”.
They get to throw basketballs or kick a soccer ball.
Here is a five-dollar gift card if you do not tear up your classroom.
Schools are backwards now- rewarding bad behaviors, not good ones.
This is the reason so many teachers are leaving this profession.
Many schools consist of religious fools
Arrogant teachers and misguided ambition
With 23 years of teaching experience
My transaction reflects five rules
Rule 1
Your colleagues are not your friends
They will turn on you from time to time
Rule 2
Watch for hypocrites
There are those who claim holiness
But are filthy inside
Rule 3
There are those who judge everybody
Because they have given up on their own dreams
Rule 4
Teachers will hate you
When your dream is bigger than theirs
Rule 5
Those that judge learners based on their skin colour
And their religious preference
That is eternal fire
Many schools consist of religious fools
Arrogant teachers and misguided ambition
With 23 years of teaching experience
My transaction reflects five rules
Mark Frank
Copyright 2023
We went to different schools… together
walked on opposite sides of a street
that constituted an invisible border.
There were differences…..but not really.
We walked slowly, as if to spend time together,
assessing the others clothing, shoes, gait.
Eye contact was forbidden
as we had been warned…..about them
as they….about us.
Smiles were fleeting sorties into danger.
We found, as children do,
ways to challenge the guardians
a quickened pace….leading to
a foot race….a breaking from the norm,
a joyously shared connection
of shouts and flashing glances.
I am not sure who won the “race”,
I think we all did…us kids….truants
in the school of ancestral fears,
breaking the barrier of a paved border
streaking toward the finish line
stretched between two churches.
John G. Lawless
©9/12/2019
All Single-Sex Schools amuse:
Over their faults fools muse…
Girls in Single-Sex Schools loose,
Still would get pregnant in twos,
Their boys liable to lose,
In morals the flesh of goose,
At nights continue to booze,
Smell of beer down to shoes,
At hotels humming new blues
But much like a cow that moos
Or one with encircled noose…
If ideas are not God’s whose?
Man keeps wrestling with Plain Ruse
His spent time of scanty use
While The Burnt one he can’t use…
Male and female God does fuse;
Both to together round cruise
And together nurse their bruise...
It is what to wisely choose.
USA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The teacher stood confused, in front of her second
grade class.
She was now forbidden to say boys or girls.
What were they, then,,,”its”?
This is called, “ social-emotional” learning.
The teacher, not only has subjects to teach.
But now a psychologist, she must be?
She will see to it, the correct sex of your child?
You thought you gave birth to a little girl?
No more....political chromosomes are in a swirl.
In public schools, this is the enlightened,new religion.
Confuse children as to who they sexually are.
Where sanity is on a mental ship, millions of miles afar.
God was removed from schools long ago.
Now, our great American heroes must go?
Grateful, I went to school decades ago!
3-31-2022
It is time,
To teach children about consequences in schools,
If we want to give students the tools,
To avoid a life of crime.
When the children come home from their schools,
With their new set of tools,
They might have time,
To teach their parents to think twice about their life of crime.
It is just a shame that parents who had the time,
But were using the wrong tools,
Which were supplied when they were bunking from their schools,
That gave them no consequences for a life of crime.
Experimental Poem-On Schools Re-Opning
FORMAT.....JOSEPH'S STAR
School
Open, closed
Teachers just may strike
Vaccinations, masks or else
Why not Hazmat suits more fun
Makes me ill
Pills
I, 3, 5, 7,7, 3,1
www.shadowpoetry.com
Suffer no more my brothers
My sisters and my friends.
We're in a better place now
Where every journey ends.
You didn't mourn us just in case
But now you found us in this place.
Mourn for us, but no longer dwell
In the house of pain you know too well.
Rise now from the gnawing truth.
Surpass the stunning grief.
Tap in to the living strength
And the power of our belief.
Be the passion in our hearts
Extinguished with our flame.
Show them what we could have been.
Let them have their shame.
Suffer no more my mother
My father and my kin.
We're right here next to you
Right where we've always been.
S(c)hools are golden
They practiced silence
Then taught to all school goers
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