For Teachers

I got this lovely booklet from the participants who attended my Workshop on Bible Knowledge last Saturday. In this booklet, there are wonderful poems on how teachers ought to view their students and themselves. I love all of them but I’d like to share one in particular with you.

Humble Us, Lord

He knows the subject well, Lord.
His grades are very high.
But yet he is a challenge
and I’m sure that you know why.

He’s self-assured and confident
there’s nothing he would hide,
but Lord he lacks humility—
this fellow’s filled with pride!

He chuckles when the others fail,
he just has no compassion,
And I have had to fight myself
in almost the same fashion.

Because when he’s so unkind,
I want to strike back, too,
but the way to teach him gentleness
would be to act like you.

The only way to show this child
that kindness is the key,
is to let him see humility,
mirrored today in me.

This poem reminds me of what my teacher told me when I did my temporary teaching in my former school. She said students can bring out the worst in you and it’s so easy to react unkindly. But the call to be a teacher  requires one to be patient when those occasions arise.

Happy Mother’s Day

Hordes of people on this day
Ambush restaurants of renown,
Pressing for a place to sit,
Peering for a vacant spot,
Yelling for attention.

Mom shakes her head
Over this rowdy behaviour,
Then softly tells me,
Head for home where
Every chair is not fought over.
Reaching home we all cook,
Save our dearest mom.

Dad says grace before meal,
And asks God to bless mom abundantly,
Yes, this blessed day we truly cherish.

Mom’s The Word

Perhaps it’s not a bad thing
To equate keeping secrets
With mom’s the word.

Mom’s like a confessional
Where pains are poured
And wounds are healed.

Mom’s a listening ear
Who’s slow to judge
But quick to comfort.

Mom’s indeed the word
Which cheers the soul
Mauled by stabbing remarks.

Ode to Maternity

For nine months I stayed within
Her discomfort came writhin’
Though my presence weighed her down
No self-pity did she drown.

Then waves of shrieks unfurled
As I came to this world,
I hushed as she uttered,
“Joy for me you’ve rendered”

Many years has she toiled
Ageing lines have her coiled
To you, fragility
To me, maternity!

Tribute to All Mothers

I’m sure by now most of you would have made plans for your mothers this Sunday. Perhaps you’ve already booked a table to celebrate that occasion. Or you might even try your hand at cooking just to impress her. Whatever it is, I’m sure you all want to make it memorable.

Pawing and I have decided to spend the next three days starting from tomorrow writing poems to our mothers. And we’ll reserve our best poem for last, namely this Sunday. So don’t miss our pièce de résistance.

Shakespeare once said:

So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

And it’s true that the written words will definitely last so long as there are inhabitants on this earth. Poems can be treasured for all time as they can be reread. So do take some time to write.