For My Teachers

Tom Dylan


Notice of absence from Tom Dylan
*NO LONGER POSTING AS GETTING ERROR MESSAGE*
.

This is a poem for my teachers,

the people who almost

knocked my love of literature

out of me with a 

black-board duster

 

Who were bigger bullies

than any of my class-mates,

who would always report

 that I could do better,

even though I was trying

my absolute best.

 

This poem is for those teachers

who thought it more important

that we walk in the right direction 

down the correct corridor 

than what we actually learned in class.

 

This poem is for the teacher

who spent most of the lessons

drunk, taking hits of whiskey

in the stock-cupboard,

before teaching us last year's

syllabus by mistake.

 

The teachers may have ruined

Charles Dickens for me,

by throwing the book at us

and telling the class to have it

read by the end of the week,

 

But Shakespeare and stories

and poems, they are still mine.

My brother still cannot hear 

Seamus Heaney without having 

flash-backs to horror days at

high school.

 

This poem is for my old head-master

who on our last ever assembly, as we were

about to venture out into the adult world,

still addressed us as boys and girls,

and without a shred of sentiment.

 

Today I read books and poems,

and attempt stories and poetry

of my own, and all this is

in spite of, not because of

my teachers.

I might actually write about it 

one of these days.

  • Author: Tom Dylan (Offline Offline)
  • Published: February 22nd, 2024 06:26
  • Comment from author about the poem: When I see inspiring, motivating teachers on TV and in film, I am often reminded of my own school days, back in the 1980s and 1990s.
  • Category: Unclassified
  • Views: 14
  • Users favorite of this poem: Accidental Poet, Teddy.15
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Comments +

Comments6

  • 2781

    A good teacher is priceless.
    A bad one worthless.

    • Tom Dylan

      Very true. The teachers we had growing up were of the second sort.

      • 2781

        To be fair, it's probably a tough job.

      • Accidental Poet

        My teachers in the 60s and 70s weren't much better. Some teachers are so full of themselves that they fail to realize it's not about them as a teacher, but about the great minds they have the opportunity to inspire. Great write Tom. 😉👍

        • Tom Dylan

          That's exactly it, AP. They were disgraceful by today's standards. Cheers, Tom.

        • Thomas W Case

          Great work Tom, I was lucky enough to have some good teachers, but I also had some old bats.

          • Tom Dylan

            Thanks, Thomas. My teachers were indifferent at best. And yet my school had a good reputation. Can't imagine what the others will have been like.

          • Teddy.15

            Ere, are you sure we didn't go to the same school, they used to kiss in the stockroom in mine lol I love this Tom heart on sleeve my friend. They didn't knock you down though did they. 🌹

            • Tom Dylan

              Yeah, my school was like a Northern version of Grange Hill! 🙂 And nah, maybe I'm still the frustrated pupil who wants to write his stories and poems. I'm still going. 🙂 And happy Friday, Teddy.

            • Goldfinch60

              Very good words and memories Tom, I have both good and bad memories of school but what you are getting now is experience and you cannot be taught experience.

              Andy

              • Tom Dylan

                Thanks Andy. I see teachers portrayed on telly as these caring souls, and it made me think of teachers when I was a kid. Cheers, Tom.

              • rhmn_7

                Good or bad, you always learn something from your teachers, don't you?

                • Tom Dylan

                  Yes, you really do. 🙂



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