All schools in England will reopen fully on 8th March.


Big school

I look in the mirror at the outfitters
Of my new big school's uniform.

Gone is my clip-on first school tie,
The one worn by the have-not kids;
Gone is my homemade pullover in
My first school colours, green and white
Wool knitted (and darned) to last
A playtime.

Gone are my foot-contoured shoes
That scored the winning goal
In extre-time and treaded water
In the Manchester rain;
Gone are my tears as I said
A gormless goodbye to the
Girl who gave me my first
Opposite sex kiss one
Christmastime.

And not forgetting
Miss Quayle who
Broke my heart
And her pencil
When she rapped my
Six-year-old knuckles
For talking too much
In storytime.

Me, talk too much?

If you have the time,
Please let me tell you
What really happened.





Poetry by Christopher Fernie The PoetBay support member heart!
Read 224 times
Written on 2021-03-05 at 15:05

dott Save as a bookmark (requires login)
dott Write a comment (requires login)
dott Send as email (requires login)
dott Print text



I cherish the specificity (Manchester, Miss Quayle), and also the immeasurably marvellous adjective "gormless," which is bright and shiny to my American ears! (I've seen it before, of course, when reading writers from the UK. But it's still wonderfully fresh.)
2021-03-06


Elle The PoetBay support member heart!
Those were the days! Our schools have not closed and I have been working throughout the pandemic at school - great fun reminding boys to put their masks on! I remember being sent to boarding school in England - it was a culture shock at the time and so damn cold!!!! This made me smile

Elle x
2021-03-05