School Dream Well Into June (Final Version) Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

apple polishers ruled the land;
we were in a termless school
eating only mystery gruel
with homework assignments
by the square yard far so far from the golden rule
where cliques ruled bur stories abounded
even if we were slightly hounded
life was still not all that cruel
if only we had known
resigned to fate and pigs in a blanket on the sectioned plate
on good cafeteria days, pineapple upside down cake held sway
and praying to God for last minute reprieves
when the bell rang in a pop quiz breeze
and freed us from the looming test
recalled us to our Sunday best.
and we woke up and felt so blessed
to be at home with all the summer
stretching before us, freestyle reading.
gleaming and gleaming.

mary angela douglas 22 november 2021; 10 february 2022; 31 march 2023