Like Mary

Once upon a time there lived a little girl

Who only ever wanted

to be a teacher

Inspired, by

The Secret Garden

Upon first read, she—

Like Mary—wanted to help others

experience the magic

of nature

[She also imagined an alternate ending

involving the peasant boy, Dickon]

.

Over many years, this little girl followed a crooked path

that lead her to finally become

what she always wanted

and alas, she discovered--

Like Mary--

Her own little garden in the classroom

Where crafted flags

Fluttered like butterflies

Across doodles of appreciation

Constructed paper projects

Popped around a

dirt black chalkboard

Like gathered wildflowers

of former students

.

Wooden bookshelves

lined trunks

lists irises, lilacs, and hollyhocks

rolling stone cover

flowered fields

Propped elbow

Bob, the skeleton

Jangling from branches

whistling like Weatherstaff

.

Sometimes, with hallway lights out

The little girl, now a grown teacher, propped elbow

Stared back

Sighed

And recalled sounds of

Laughter like chorus insects

Struggle, Groans

Root growth edging through soil

The chirp of birds returning

with tales of abroad.

Our field trips

Bowing on a yellow school bus.

.

Once upon a time there lived a teacher

Who, every day, dreamed

her childhood fantasy

But then a Friday in March

Happened

And she woke up

.

Poems are like fairy tales

Neither serve a purpose.

.

14