Years ago, I entered a new world of desks
in straight rows, bells, and tasks like
see-jane-run and
m is for mr munching mouth.
I loved mixing more
paints and colors with gooey glue
all over hands and
paper blue birds with beak and tongue
(Birds need tongues too)
Time was everywhere at once yet now
smaller
faster
marked off by things to do
read. listen. repeat. write.
a start-stop world.
When Time-to-Clean-Up arrived
I always chose my favorite featherduster
to-ing and fro-ing far from the flurry to finish
unworried by missing mittens or colorful gluey messes made
and teacher let me be, for a moment
free
(an edited repost from the archives, Susan Forshey, 10/2009)
