April 24: The Goodbye That Left Me Empty — 8e Poem by Rose Jiyanna

I counted the days, one by one,
Long before the end had begun.
And then came April 24—still and wild,
A day that stole my inner child.
The final bell, the quiet goodbye,
A thousand tears I couldn't cry.

It struck like thunder, without a sound,
My heart in pieces on the ground.
Not all farewells come with a sign—
Some just break you, line by line.

I gave them all I had to give—
My soul, my strength, my will to live.
Thirty-four boys, my 8E stars,
Each one etched like skybound scars.
In that room, I found my place,
Their laughter filled my empty space.

We fought and cried, we healed and grew,
We built a world that felt so true.
In every tear, in every smile,
They walked with me each precious mile.

I was their teacher, firm and fair,
But slowly, love hung in the air.
No textbook taught the path I trod—
To mother them was a gift from God.

Today I stood with trembling grace,
A silent storm behind my face.
I held my tears, I hid my pain,
But inside, I was breaking again.

No long farewell, no closing speech,
Just five small minutes, out of reach.
Yet in that breath, I blessed each one,
As a mother would her dearest son.

Their desks still whisper back my name,
Soft echoes of a sacred flame.
"Miss you Ma'am, " in pencil traced,
Their tender love in silence placed.

I found two notes, and to my dread,
They wrote not ink, but blood instead.
What depth of heart, what silent cry—
What love too vast for goodbye.

Alone tonight, I sit and feel
A sorrow I can barely seal.
Have I grown too close? Have I lost my way?
Or found a truth no words can say?

They changed me, shaped me, held me still,
Taught me more than books could fill.
In them, I saw who I became—
Not just a teacher, but a name.

This ache may stay, but I will rise,
With tear-streaked cheeks and open eyes.
For this is life—both gift and test,
To give your all, then let them rest.

A teacher's heart must always learn
The art of graceful goodbyes.

©Rose Jiyanna