»
Archives
»
Open Poetry #12
»
Here's to You, Sir.....................
| Open Poetry #12 |
|
Here's to You, Sir..................... |
|
|
Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart 
|
Here's to You, Sir…… For no reason a fifth grade memory visited me today (saw a pair of blue eyes) now bear in mind I was a late bloomer always younger than the kids in my class always the youngest the latest to bloom not much room for self-esteem but fifth grade still has a touch of magic (saw a fleck of gold hair) when you're a dreamer and I was a dreamer who wanted to do can a doer be a dreamer? (when someone believes) sometimes…. HE was very special and had a grand name (Jim to some, James to others) and in this time of today when there are really no heroes… like there were heroes back then (where have all the heroes gone?) HE was a hero to me he wasn't a James Dean nor a Rex Harrison, hardly a Sean, and in no way a Wayne but he was a hero, all the same they say your fifth grade teacher can turn your life around lift up from down (raising hands to volunteer) plant an invisible crown with slight smiles or soft sounds (wiping chalkboards, clapping erasers) one did their homework to honor him stood a little straighter just to please him! (he had that "smile") boys liked him girls…had crushes…. and in morning rushes he stood tall, and calm and with a hand raised in quiet wave he waved us all … on … (and on and on and on) he had that "teacher chemistry" not like a dad, or much loved mom but you wanted a moment to reflect upon… this "magic" of his key…. no way that a few words, or in a moment, impart how this teacher touched all of our hearts… though later that summer during break how all of us joined in swift wrench of heartache to hear of his passing during summer vacation a year before the hurt of a nation… today I had a memory and it won't leave a special one said "…in you I believe…" and it called me back to a long past view when he said those words, too… I've done my best with my time on earth to say to others ~ I believe in you… ~ Mr. VanNorman… ~ I'll always remember you ~ your lessons of yesterday still ring true… 1.30.01 |
||
| © Copyright 2001 Karilea Rilling Jungel - All Rights Reserved | |||
|
Daniel J D Senior Member
since 2000-10-01
Posts 1471Hillcrest, Queensland, Australia |
Sunshine, Keep the memories flooding back. This was just great. Respond to my call and let the waves of my heart fill your life with the wonders of love (Daniel J D) |
||
|
Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
This is brilliant, Sunshine. Teachers of our early years are so very important to us and are big influences on our lives....it's very kind of you to give such a warm tribute to one that remained in your mind..... |
||
|
Krawdad Member Elite
since 2001-01-03
Posts 2597 |
Wonderful tribute, Sunshine. I hope someone was able to tell him such, it means so much to a teacher to hear words like these from a student. I like the way you crafted this so that it kind of snuck up on us. Nice work! |
||
SEA 
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 2000-01-18
Posts 22676with you |
Oh Sunshine, this is just the sweetest poem ever! I wish I'd have had a teacher like this when I was younger.......you are lucky  -SEA |
||
|
CocoBaci Member Elite
since 2000-05-06
Posts 3043 |
Sunshine, Beautifully expressed... I'm glad I got to read this... |
||
|
Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Thank you all. I still remember the shock of the news of his untimely passing...the next year, November 1963, those same feelings passed through me...I remember vividly both days... today I still correspond with a high school teacher that also believed in me...32 years have passed since I was his student, but we keep a part of our history alive at least once a year... if you have an opportunity to thank someone who shaped your past...call or write them today...it is a small gesture to remind them...they shaped destiny... |
||
|
Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
What a wonderfully fluid tribute to your respected mentor, teacher and friend Karilea. Very nicely written. I also enjoyed your response above ... so very true. We should all be so fortunate to know how we have touched another, or how another has touched us ... loved this! Best wishes to a talented lady whose words touch "me" daily, /Kit |
||
|
Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
My English teacher who encouraged me to write..Mrs. Boothby..has passed away. There's a site for old classmates that I visit from time to time and her name pops up as everyone's favorite teacher. She was tough, expected your best, and somehow we always gave it.. Wonderful poem..thanks for the memories.  |
||
|
jellybeans Member Elite
since 2000-10-13
Posts 2298 |
*big smiles* just love this *shakes her head* now if my memory weren't so bad and I could remember 5th grade, I'd be dancing |
||
|
inot2B Member Elite
since 2000-09-18
Posts 2205Arkansas |
Wow, you have brought back some wonderful memories. Mrs Margaret Taylor where ever you are THANKS for making me feel like I was someone. |
||
|
Irish Rose Member Patricius
since 2000-04-06
Posts 10263 |
You brought back some wonderful memories of my 7th grade teacher, but she was a nun!!!! Kathleen |
||
Sven
since 1999-11-23
Posts 14937East Lansing, MI USA |
hey Kathleen, not all of those nuns were so bad. . .  Sunshine, this is wonderful. . . I'm sure that all of us have someone like this in our lives. . . and some say teaching isn't rewarding. . . ----------------------------------------------------- To the world, you may only be one person. But to one person, you may be the world. |
||
|
Lone Wolf Member Ascendant
since 2000-03-16
Posts 5842Lansing, MI USA |
Sunshine, Wonderful tribute to a teacher who has inspired you. This one is special. I still correspond with two of my former teachers that I had in kindergarten and high school english. My english teacher always told me I had talent as a writer and a way with words. Maybe she is right after all!! Excellent advice to keep in touch with them. Perhaps thank them for the impact they made on our lives.LW Poetry should surprise by fine excess...it should strike the reader as a wording of his own highest thoughts and appear almost a remembrance. -J.Keats |
||
|
Denise
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-08-22
Posts 22648 |
This is an awesome tribute to him, Karilea. Simply awesome. It brought a tear to my eye, along with a fond memory or two. Denise |
||
|
Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Karilea--One of my high school teachers gave me the courage to write poetry by believing in me...thank you for reminding me with this special poem. |
||
|
Wilfred Yeats Member Elite
since 2000-08-04
Posts 2704Wilmington, Delaware |
Sadly - although I've been to two reunions - I've never seen Fr. Boyle - the Physics teacher - who allowed us that some things contrary to what the nuns taught us - were 'ok' between spouses - thank you for this |
||
|
Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
I want to thank all of you for taking this so personally...teachers are a gift...they are angels without wings...so, do write that note....make that call....give a smile.... trust me.... they're worth it! |
||
|
|
⇧ top of page ⇧ |
|
| All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format. | ||
