Mythopoesis 15 – The Good Things

For NaPoWriMo Day 15

The Good Things

Teacher really liked my
poem, Mama. She asked
me to stay after school,
and said she’d give me
a ride home, cause I’d
miss my bus.

I know, she called and asked
me if that would be okay. I told
her yes, of course.

She seemed happy, Mama,
pleased that I’d written it.
I told her how you helped,
telling me how to draw word
pictures, and all kinds of things.
She said you were a special
kind of mother and that I
was lucky to have you as a
teacher. Then she asked if
I would read my poem to
the rest of the class tomorrow.

How do you feel about that?
About reading it to your
classmates?

Kind of mixed up. Happy,
I guess, but a little scared
too.

That’s natural. You are being
asked to do something
that no one else has been
asked to do. Are you afraid
that the other children
won’t like the poem?

Sort of. I read the poem
to Julie at recess time
and she really liked it,
but she’s my special friend.
She sort of has to like it,
doesn’t she?

Not necessarily. If you are really
good friends, she should be able
to tell you what she really thinks
and know that you would listen,
not dislike her, and would still
be her friend. But, I think there
might be something else, that worries
you about all of this.

Well, yes, there is. I told
you that Joey is back at
school. He’s been very quiet,
but I think he knows I wanted
to hit him when he hurt Julie.
So, he might want to hurt me
too, like he hurt her. I don’t
know what I would do if he
did that.

That does sound a bit scary.
But, your teacher will be there.
She really likes your poem, and she
knows more about Joey and maybe
even why he acts the way he does.
She didn’t let him get away with
hurting Julie, so I don’t think she
would let him hurt you either. I think
you can trust her to stop him
if he tries. And besides, maybe
he has learned something
from all of this. We can only
hope for the best.

Okay, Mama. I will trust
my teacher, cause I know
she stopped him before. Why
are even good things so
hard, so difficult?

Maybe because they are good
things? Time for you to go
to bed now. I wish you
only sweet dreams,
and think your classmates
will really like your poem.

Elizabeth Crawford  4/15/15

Notes: Still no word on the computer. Image is a pen and ink fantasy drawing.