Miscellaneous Poems Vol 2
Viewing comments for Chapter 3 "First day of school"More poems
23 total reviews
Comment from bichonfrisegirl
Sometimes you just gotta go where your muse takes you, regardless of the word for the day. It's little wonder that this is on your mind, Craig, what with all of the uproar since the latest school shootings in the U.S. ... and rightly so!
I take your poem to be an excellent satire AGAINST guns. Period. Look where guns have us now. As you point out so well in your poem ... Kevlar vests, glocks, six inch armor plates, armed guards, booms and panic rooms ... these are all part and parcel of a day at school. The poor kids. Cripes all mighty!! I feel sorry for today's parents having to worry whether their children will return from school in one piece.
This is well written and your poem touches on a very serious subject at this moment in time, and your write makes your reader wonder how society ever got to this point. I especially love "but freedom looks like jail last time I checked" ... no kidding! ~~ Connie
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2018
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Sometimes you just gotta go where your muse takes you, regardless of the word for the day. It's little wonder that this is on your mind, Craig, what with all of the uproar since the latest school shootings in the U.S. ... and rightly so!
I take your poem to be an excellent satire AGAINST guns. Period. Look where guns have us now. As you point out so well in your poem ... Kevlar vests, glocks, six inch armor plates, armed guards, booms and panic rooms ... these are all part and parcel of a day at school. The poor kids. Cripes all mighty!! I feel sorry for today's parents having to worry whether their children will return from school in one piece.
This is well written and your poem touches on a very serious subject at this moment in time, and your write makes your reader wonder how society ever got to this point. I especially love "but freedom looks like jail last time I checked" ... no kidding! ~~ Connie
Comment Written 24-Feb-2018
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2018
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Thanks very much for the understanding review, Connie. It is indeed a very sad state of affairs. There are some hopeful signs with students and teachers speaking out. Hopefully they won't be drowned out by the voices of very silly, and to my mind, evil, people. Much appreciated - Craig
Comment from Gloria ....
The serious undercoat of your poem shines through remarkably clear, Craig. How bizarre it was to listen to Wayne LaPierre, Executive Director of the NRA go on about the "Luciferian" New World Order and Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals at the CPAC conference. Now we know where these "conspiracies" if not originated from are certainly promoted from. Pretty dangerous narrative coming from a powerful lobby group.
Written in excellent metre and rhyme and now I'm curious to know what your word of the day was. Hopefully it doesn't just slip away into the ether.
Great job!
Gloria
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2018
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The serious undercoat of your poem shines through remarkably clear, Craig. How bizarre it was to listen to Wayne LaPierre, Executive Director of the NRA go on about the "Luciferian" New World Order and Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals at the CPAC conference. Now we know where these "conspiracies" if not originated from are certainly promoted from. Pretty dangerous narrative coming from a powerful lobby group.
Written in excellent metre and rhyme and now I'm curious to know what your word of the day was. Hopefully it doesn't just slip away into the ether.
Great job!
Gloria
Comment Written 24-Feb-2018
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2018
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Hi Gloria,
The word of the day will be back today, come hell or high water. I didn't know that about that douchebag. That just upped the "scary" factor 1000%. I'm going to have to see if it's on Youtube. Thanks muchly.
Craig
Comment from Dean Kuch
Laugh, make a mockery of the situation, and poke fun if you must, Craig.
But schools in our state have now decided to have armed sheriffs deputies not only patrolling our high schools and middle schools, but our elementary schools as well.
And the NRA didn't have a damned thing to do about it, the parents did.
Go figure...
Told ya, didn't I? You gotta fight fire with fire. Or, haven't you ever heard that saying before?
Good poem, nice rhyming.
~Dean
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2018
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Laugh, make a mockery of the situation, and poke fun if you must, Craig.
But schools in our state have now decided to have armed sheriffs deputies not only patrolling our high schools and middle schools, but our elementary schools as well.
And the NRA didn't have a damned thing to do about it, the parents did.
Go figure...
Told ya, didn't I? You gotta fight fire with fire. Or, haven't you ever heard that saying before?
Good poem, nice rhyming.
~Dean
Comment Written 24-Feb-2018
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2018
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Really, Dean? The parents in your state are that organised, and have that much power? I can assure you, no one is laughing, Dean, including at least one real, live, kindergarten teacher who read this. I'll listen to what she thinks about the situation - someone has to. Thanks for reviewing. Craig
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Yes, we do have that much power in the Great State of Ohio, thank you.
Thank God we do!
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And it isn't just Ohio, either:
Armed deputies in schools
Broward County cops armed with high powered rifles
Armed deputies patrol Boone County, KY schools
There are dozens more stories just like this.
We are at war, my friend, and our children's lives are at stake.
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Yes, Dean, they're futures are at stake from people with guns - no one else. And some people think turning their schools into prisons will fix the problem? Not a chance. The plain, simple, answer is staring you right in the face. The teachers get it. The students get it. The NRA funded politicians don't. Nor do their customers, it would seem.
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Pardon the spelling, it's early, and fingers are working faster than brain.
Comment from jlsavell
CD?? Praise God for the good ole NRA?
I would call it School good ole 21st century style..
As parents we have learned to send them off with a certain degree of trepidation.
Just when we believe something so mind boggling, disruptive and evil was far from the norm and will not happen again, it continues to play over and over.
I believe never before in history as our young felt so many stressors in the daily life of being a child and learning. It is heart-wrenching..
thank you for sharing
so back to normal programming???
jimi
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2018
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CD?? Praise God for the good ole NRA?
I would call it School good ole 21st century style..
As parents we have learned to send them off with a certain degree of trepidation.
Just when we believe something so mind boggling, disruptive and evil was far from the norm and will not happen again, it continues to play over and over.
I believe never before in history as our young felt so many stressors in the daily life of being a child and learning. It is heart-wrenching..
thank you for sharing
so back to normal programming???
jimi
Comment Written 24-Feb-2018
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2018
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Back to business as usual, I believe. Then again, I haven't turned the news on yet. Come to think of it, maybe I won't. Many thanks for reviewing, Jimi. Craig
Comment from Linda Kay
What a powerful image you were able to paint here of how ludicrous the power of the NRA is in my country. As a kindergarten teacher here in the good old USA, I am getting ready to be a part of Spring Safety Drills which are sadly pretty much what you describe. My neighbor teacher and I will huddle 36 precious five and six year olds into our cubby room, sit in the dark with them, urging everyone one to be silent while we hope to get cellphone reception to see if there are any updated instructions. We may practice evacuating or have a fake intruder banging on our doors.
This truly deserves to be published here, before they try to arm my colleagues and I (Just one step away from bullet-proofing the kids like in your poem.) Very good stretch of your not "routine programming."
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2018
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What a powerful image you were able to paint here of how ludicrous the power of the NRA is in my country. As a kindergarten teacher here in the good old USA, I am getting ready to be a part of Spring Safety Drills which are sadly pretty much what you describe. My neighbor teacher and I will huddle 36 precious five and six year olds into our cubby room, sit in the dark with them, urging everyone one to be silent while we hope to get cellphone reception to see if there are any updated instructions. We may practice evacuating or have a fake intruder banging on our doors.
This truly deserves to be published here, before they try to arm my colleagues and I (Just one step away from bullet-proofing the kids like in your poem.) Very good stretch of your not "routine programming."
Comment Written 24-Feb-2018
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2018
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Thank you, Linda. My impression is that overwhelmingly, the students don't want this, the teachers don't want this, and the parents don't want this. So who does? Thank you for helping to confirm my suspicions. I wouldn't like to be representing those groups, in particular, incorrectly. Your words mean a great deal, and I'm truly sorry that you and your colleagues, and the children entrusted to your care have to go through this. If only the powers that be would do something that will really make a difference. Many, many thanks - Craig
Comment from Spiritual Echo
The teddy bear doesn't even sound like a reach.
In the day ever came when teachers were armed in my country, I'd pull my kids and home school then on day ONE!
Very timely and right to the point. The world through a child's eyes.
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2018
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The teddy bear doesn't even sound like a reach.
In the day ever came when teachers were armed in my country, I'd pull my kids and home school then on day ONE!
Very timely and right to the point. The world through a child's eyes.
Comment Written 24-Feb-2018
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2018
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I, for one, recall an incident in grade 5 or 6, and I'm pretty sure if my teacher had been armed, I wouldn't be here to talk about it. So I think you are 100% right. Many thanks for reading, Ingrid. Craig
Comment from Mary Hollingsworth
CD, you're writing takes me right to Miami to the awful scene that happened with the 17 lives that were taken. Because if this kid has a toy Glock, ( a gun I think) someone may get hurt thinking it's real, but this is the fear and terror the kids live in when going to school. And the fear and reluctancy the parents live in sending them to school. That's what the kids are protesting about in Florida. So good job I loved it it's relevance and how it relates to what's going on right now today. I love the way you gave an intro for preparing for the first day of school before getting there, but this kid is in terror of facing the day wondering whether he will be shot at random. The Rhythm and rhyming is phenomenal. Very well-articulated.
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2018
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CD, you're writing takes me right to Miami to the awful scene that happened with the 17 lives that were taken. Because if this kid has a toy Glock, ( a gun I think) someone may get hurt thinking it's real, but this is the fear and terror the kids live in when going to school. And the fear and reluctancy the parents live in sending them to school. That's what the kids are protesting about in Florida. So good job I loved it it's relevance and how it relates to what's going on right now today. I love the way you gave an intro for preparing for the first day of school before getting there, but this kid is in terror of facing the day wondering whether he will be shot at random. The Rhythm and rhyming is phenomenal. Very well-articulated.
Comment Written 24-Feb-2018
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2018
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Thanks very much for the kind comments, Mary. Yes, the idea is that turning schools into jails isn't really a great approach, there's got to be a better way, even if the politicians don't see it, or have the guts to do anything about it. Many thanks, Craig
Comment from nartoonla
Hello, That was lovely and sad. Guards and pain room...Why must children as parents of today live this way? Yet indeed placing a guard is better than teaching teachers to manage a gun a necessity perhaps but think of what effect it has will have on everyone, mainly the children in the school. Well written but read with a sigh.
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2018
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Hello, That was lovely and sad. Guards and pain room...Why must children as parents of today live this way? Yet indeed placing a guard is better than teaching teachers to manage a gun a necessity perhaps but think of what effect it has will have on everyone, mainly the children in the school. Well written but read with a sigh.
Comment Written 24-Feb-2018
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2018
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Thank you for reading and for your kind comments. I do believe there are answers. I believe the children and teachers know what they are. I believe the politicians and interest groups aren't listening. Much appreciated - Craig
Comment from Halfree
Sometime we have pause in our reading and ask why something is written. I was uncertain with my first read of this posting, not quite sure of a star count.
I use to own an and fashioned double-barrel Stevens. Worked pretty well on game birds. I do not understand the need for military style weapons... well perhaps a wounded or really bad deer with an attitude might attack me.
I think this posting is timely and well said. ...just keep saying it...I've got your back with my old Stevens, when find it.
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2018
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Sometime we have pause in our reading and ask why something is written. I was uncertain with my first read of this posting, not quite sure of a star count.
I use to own an and fashioned double-barrel Stevens. Worked pretty well on game birds. I do not understand the need for military style weapons... well perhaps a wounded or really bad deer with an attitude might attack me.
I think this posting is timely and well said. ...just keep saying it...I've got your back with my old Stevens, when find it.
Comment Written 24-Feb-2018
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2018
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I'm guessing you don't have kids in school any more? I would think many of those who do would be following developments of late with keen interest. Yes, getting military-grade weapons out of the hands of mentally deranged people would be a starting point,. Thanks for reviewing :) Craig
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Keep at it... perhaps we,as a people, will get the message. My children and grand children are out of schools and college. A school bus does a pickup arcrossthe street...I think about those children and what they might have to face. Children need room to be children. I hope your children and all others never have to face what we have just witnessed.
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My children are all long past school age too, but you are totally right - children should be able to be children, not suffer for the sins of their parents. Much appreciated.
Comment from Sandra du Plessis
A very well-written poem about the first day at school. It can be very challenging for a first grader. Everything is new an unknown and even scary to think about it all.
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2018
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A very well-written poem about the first day at school. It can be very challenging for a first grader. Everything is new an unknown and even scary to think about it all.
Comment Written 24-Feb-2018
reply by the author on 24-Feb-2018
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Thanks for reviewing, Sandra. School can be a scary place indeed, and getting scarier every day. Cheers, Craig
