winter afternoon in the classroom
a half-sleep
the nun speaks and rests
the eight-year-olds
bow heads over loose leaf
write
in the row along the windows
in the second to last desk
a boy
done early
melts crayons on
the ripple of the radiator
redblueyellowgreen
and on loose leaf
draws side
views of
Lincoln
in a world of
clean-shaven men
nosesuittieeyeshair
and black beard
nosesuittieeyeshair
and black beard
nosesuittieeyeshair
and black beard
nosesuittieeyeshair
and black beard
a psalm to the future
redblueyellowgreen
nine years later,
grows a beard
red-brown
now white
Patrick T. Reardon
4.28.16
This poem was originally published by Silver Birch Press on 3.7.2016.
Written by : Patrick T. Reardon
For more than three decades Patrick T. Reardon was an urban affairs writer, a feature writer, a columnist, and an editor for the Chicago Tribune. In 2000 he was one of a team of 50 staff members who won a Pulitzer Prize for explanatory reporting. Now a freelance writer and poet, he has contributed chapters to several books and is the author of Faith Stripped to Its Essence. His website is https://patricktreardon.com/.
Love this!
Thnx.