Says it all about the end of the school year, eh? Wednesday and Thursday Michael and I hiked and wrote with the Bay Middle School sixth grade as part of an outdoor experience planned for the last full week of the school year. I have written countless poems during and after hiking around the woods adjacent to Bay Middle -- this is my old neighborhood and it felt good to be back walking the familiar root tripping trails. Thanks to the kids for helping me find my way, thanks to Salinger for the photos.
Windows of the school
look out on the grassy lawn.
Minds go out to play"
Birds with yellow beaks
Birds with yellow beaks
winging across the courtyard.
Can I fly with you?
Crosswalk at corner
Crosswalk at corner
students writing on the grass.
Watch out for the cars!
Yellow goal posts reach.
Yellow goal posts reach.
Green field lies flat on its back.
Scoreboard is empty.
No players run.
No players run.
Lacrosse net outlined in orange.
Who will score next goal?
Four bases in the dust.
Four bases in the dust.
A raised mound for the pitcher.
Who has a baseball?
Midgies are annoying.
Midgies are annoying.
I walk across the field in spring.
Bugs get in my hair.
Bubble in his mouth.
Bubble in his mouth.
Now it has four pink sections.
He sucks it back in.
Now a wrecking ball,
Now a wrecking ball,
swings from a string of gum.
It hypnotizes.
No Parking, Fire Lane.
No Parking, Fire Lane.
Keep off the Athletic Field.
Way too many rules.
Bikes thrown on the ground.
Bikes thrown on the ground.
Not chained up to the bike rack.
Free! Ready to roll.
Cars parked in spaces,
Cars parked in spaces,
mini vans, wagons, sedans,
waiting at the gate.
One bird on a wire
One bird on a wire
looks down at me on the field.
We make eye contact.
Students on a log.
they write Haiku in notebooks.
Save today in poems.
Crowded bushes sit
Crowded bushes sit
shoulder to shoulder, crunched close.
No grass grows beneath.
Leaves above, below.
Leaves above, below.
Is that plant poison ivy?
Don't touch, just in case.
Domenic won't write.
Domenic won't write.
He says that he is too bored.
Boredom? Writer's friend.
Quiet. Caw! A crow.
Quiet. Caw! A crow.
Fat bellied robin whistles.
Songs bounce through the trees.
Park bench holds five friends.
Park bench holds five friends.
They sit, hip to elbow and
try to find Haiku.
The branches open.
A window for the warm sun.
The branches open.
A window for the warm sun.
Light falls in sprinkles.
Tree roots in the path.
Tree roots in the path.
I sniff the honey suckle.
Whoops! Forgot to watch.
Still water muddy brown.
Still water muddy brown.
Tip toe across the round rocks.
Oops! Yish. Wet. I slipped.
Bandanna, blue jeans,
Bandanna, blue jeans,
sweat shirt, sneakers, and back pack.
This is middle school.
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