By Pedro R. Santos
The bell chimes harmoniously
At the door they pass by me
A simple, hardly-heard “g’morning”
And they secure their favorite seats
Some hand in their homework
Some give only excuses
I explain the meanings and uses
Of the new words on the board
The tardy come in disrupting
Everybody’s concentration
I have to issue detentions
To deter its repetition
He’s got no paper to write on
She’s got no pencil to write with
They all blame it on their parents, the weather, their pets
They EVEN blame it on me
After these few inconveniences
They all get their work done
They have learned a few things
They are ready to go home
Now I’m grading papers and planning a new lesson
Satisfied with what’s so far been attained
Tomorrow they’ll come to me again
And they surely learn some more
The bell chimes harmoniously
At the door they pass by me
A simple, hardly-heard “g’morning”
And they secure their favorite seats
Some hand in their homework
Some give only excuses
I explain the meanings and uses
Of the new words on the board
The tardy come in disrupting
Everybody’s concentration
I have to issue detentions
To deter its repetition
He’s got no paper to write on
She’s got no pencil to write with
They all blame it on their parents, the weather, their pets
They EVEN blame it on me
After these few inconveniences
They all get their work done
They have learned a few things
They are ready to go home
Now I’m grading papers and planning a new lesson
Satisfied with what’s so far been attained
Tomorrow they’ll come to me again
And they surely learn some more
