Little Mr Hansford’s Car Poem by Paul Hansford

Little Mr Hansford’s Car

Rating: 5.0


A thousand children. How could I remember
all of them? I was the teacher; they were there
to learn. Those were our roles; that was the contract.
They would move up and I move on, for all of us
always a new beginning.
But now and then
one will return to haunt me, like the girl
whose secret friend drove a red plastic car.
I have it still. He was a tiny version
of myself.
The boy, his skin flaking
and cracked with eczema, trying to resist
the urge to scratch. How could he bear to wake
each day to face that life? Yet I was proud
he claimed me for his brother.
Another girl,
seventeen, crossing the Alps, moved beyond tears
by her first sight of mountains.
Do they remember?
Maybe they do. A young man in the street
I met by chance surprised me by recalling
how I read Winnie-the-Pooh when he was small
and did the animals in different voices.

So many children, so many years have gone,
but memories, like hope, can linger on.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Buscador Del Palabra 06 September 2009

I know I could never teach because of a lack of patience, but this reverie makes me wish that I had found a way. Also thinking of these reminiscences, I just know for every one of these special children and each special moment, there are hundreds that you have not heard about... You are very rich indeed... Mike

1 0 Reply
Tom Balch 02 July 2009

Nice piece Paul, when you teach you remain in your pupils minds forever, Tom

1 0 Reply
Susan Jarvis 29 June 2009

This poem conveys the true value of an influential education - yes, it's a 'contract' - 'They would move up and I move on' BUT 'memories, like hope, can linger on'. To me, this wistful, multi-layered poem is full of memories. Children may 'move up', but they never forget that special teacher that showed them the pathway to success. I didn't! S ;)

1 0 Reply
READ THIS POEM IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Close
Error Success