The Earthquake Trilogy. The Worthy Teacher. Poem by Res John Burman

This heaped up pile of rubble,
This was once the school.
Where The Teacher held his classes,
And taught the Golden Rule.

He took his duties seriously,
He loved to bring the light
Of learning to his pupils,
And taught them wrong from right.

'Be true to yourselves and each other,
Stand up for your fellow man,
Help your brothers and sisters,
And protect all those that you can! '

When the Dragon shook it's shoulders,
And tore their world apart,
There was only one lesson left,
For that worthy Teacher to impart.

Three students he pushed under the platform,
Protected by the overhanging shelf,
And when he couldn't cover the entrance,
He covered it up with himself!

He gripped the edge of the platform,
His fingers locked on so tight,
They had to break his dead fingers
When they bought his poor body to light!

But under the platform, protected,
Saved from all flying stone and glass,
Three teenage pupils were found safely,
Where The Teacher had held his last class!

With the vice-like grip of his fingers,
With his blood and his very last sigh,
He proved that the lessons he'd taught them
Were the things for which he would die!

This is one tale among many,
Of brave people who answered the call,
But the lesson that brave Teacher taught
In his last class, is one for us all!

(25th May 2008)