Teacher says time to write a poem

Oh, no, I groan

This will be a nightmare

 

Empty page, glaringly white

Lines waiting to be filled

Tick tock, Tick tock

 

Pencil down, silver scratch

Meaningless scribbles

Forming hestiant words

 

Times up! Teacher calls

Page is no longer bare

Instead there lies a poem

 

Somehow it's complete

But poems still signal dread

Teachers always want one

 

Poems are boring

Stuffy, confusing

So hard to write

 

Until one day

A visit to the animal shelter

Big brown eyes stare at me

 

Soft ears, wet nose

Sweet face, happy tail

Sorry, but goodbye

 

Another visit

She's still there

Sad eyes, wondering, waiting

 

At home, can't stop thinking

Why she doesn't have a home of her own

I need to write a song about her

 

Empty page, glaringly white

Lines waiting to be filled

Tap tap, goes the pencil

 

Pencil down, silver scratch

Meaningless scribbles

Forming hestitant words

 

Finally! I'm done

Page is no longer bare

Instead there lies a poem

 

Wait?! A poem?

Stare at page in wo nder

Realize songs are poems

 

Poems are songs

Lyrics of the heart

Choruses of paper

 

Personal expression

Cathartic letters

to yourself, for the world

 

Teacher says time to write a poem

Oh, yes, I smile

This will be an adventure