Photo:Beach nearby me.
In looking through some things stored away I found this poem I wrote in the dim dark ages of long ago.
It's a poem I wrote when I was about 15 for English class. Mr.H was the teacher. He held a Master's from Columbia University.
When you wrote an assignment for him, you got back another page equal or more detailed than the one you had written yourself analyzing every letter of what you had written.
I often wondered how he had time for his own life as we seemed to come first to him. What a teacher! But he was one of many at the school I attended. Such great people in one place. Miss H. who had been trained as a teacher in a "normal school". She was elderly when I had her but we learned from her! Another teacher who played classical music for us and had us draw what we saw in the music.
We all learned to read basic music.
I asked my friend recently if she had to learn Shakespeare in high school and she said no. I thought everyone did! Beowulf , Canterbury Tales, and most of the great plays of Shakespeare along with memorizing 2 soliliques a year from freshman through senior year. Well we complained a lot then, but I am glad now.
The greatest influences in my life were my teachers in so many ways. I think I was priviledged to attend for that while a very special school.
Here is the poem.. and no giggling I was just a little girl!
This Alone is Beautiful... The sea rushing against the rocks and sending up
a spray like bubbles from a glass of cool, sparkling champagne.
It Whirls up and around the jetties and the foam fizzles on top.
The icy blue and green slap the white sands and then go sliding back to their marine home of delicate coral-flowers and tiny creatures.
A seagull dives to catch a fish.
Waves glide across miles of endless beauty under a calm sky.
A schooner's sleek body and graceful white sails slide across the horizon to meet the setting sun.
Mist blesses the air coming to rest on my skin and hair.
Heaven thunders!
The Moon rises......
All this.......
and the serenade of seagulls and pounding surf
The sweet refrain repeats again like April
rain.
I had a Mr. H too in school... :)
ReplyDeletethe poem is beautiful, I especially liked
the serenade of seagulls and pounding surf
thank you for sharing it with us
Mr. H got around twin boy ;)
ReplyDeleteLovely poem and beach photo, Annie! I didn't read things like you mention until college but my son and daughter read Shakespeare, Beowulf, Canterbury Tales, etc... in high school honors class. They were lucky to have a great school system. Have a great week ahead! (((Hugz)))
ReplyDeleteFirst, no one on earth should have such a beautiful view of the ocean so long as I'm land locked. *nose in air*
ReplyDeleteI'm with darylynn, we never did Shakesie, etc. until university. BUT! I did have a 5th grade teacher who thought we should learn cinematography and by the end of the year, we were all experts in the silent films, and first talkies. :] I'm still a fan of Buster Keaton! :]
She was also determined to teach us all about the holocaust and we watched film after film.
Of course, that was back in the days when teachers could create their own courses if they wanted to. :]