The Teacher

The teacher sits 

front of the room

his mind already at the task

Students file in

They take their seat

They begin to ask

“Teacher, why?

How did this…?

Who won the Peloponnesian war?

When did we integrate?

What started Civil Rights?”

He lets them open the door…

And the teacher smiles 

seeing the mind of a child

The class moves on

And then the years

The teacher wonders where he’s at

He still has so much

to give away

If only someone would ask

“Teacher, if?

Tell us just how…”

His passion to give

never fades

Body fighting

‘His disease’

An ailment deep within

Instead of laying down

Burying his soul

He finds he’s teaching again

“How do I move?”

Brain’s still awake,

“So much left to do”

He learns to say…

“I’m fighting

And I’m still growing

Today.”

The teacher sits

across from me now

Does he know 

how much I’ve learned 

From his words,

But more his heart

Maybe he’ll discern…

Teacher, teach

My friend, we all learn.

07/28/24

clc

Thank you, Richie.

~ Peace

The Burtle