Sunday before School

On this last night before school begins,
a multitude of children are excited,
others filled with dread and moving
slowly as molasses towards bed, beside
which is backpack, overstuffed. The teachers
have been working, well prepared to
face new classes, hoping they'll be
well behaved, no bullies, no tough parents
to contend with, please excuse the dangling
preposition. The parents are relieved
they'll know exactly where the kids are
for a good part of the day, no longer
scrounging for a sitter cause Mom has
to work, vacations over, all supplies
are purchased, marked with Sharpies.
The principals will set the tone in all the
schools, but almost every person - students,
teachers, parents, aids, bus drivers, all the
others who will play a part - has expectations
that perhaps this year, kinks of education
will break loose and gaps will fill, the problems
of the past will disappear, grades will improve
and scores will raise the coming year.


(c) Ellen Gillette, 2014