School Spirits

I guess they are ghosts of their school
back when they held a coup
and your Grandmother thought teaching

piano lessons a little extra each day
would pay for you to learn more.
How strange in looking back

finally to understand and then to deplore
she was overruled by the pupils
always taking their illicit stand

to keep whomever out of the circles
they drew in playbox sand.

mary angela douglas 24 january 2018