Elementary School Daydream Reprise

cross-stitched, my bluebird, on a lemon sky

cross-stitched, my cherry tree

that will never be a pie-

and cross-stitched is the cottage

by the navy blue river I could live in-

if only my stitches were more even.

but I write in sloping letters on the blackboard

I love you all

and it doesn’t seem good enough to the Teacher

and I trip on an untied shoelace on the way

back to my desk near by

the drone of the pencil-sharpener curious.

and I wonder if we’re all meant to have leadership skills

where on God’s earth are they going to get all the followers?

mary angela douglas 30 june 2013