Thursday, April 23, 2009

going from one extreme to the other

"enough" I said, throwing the sheets on the floor
I had been marking those all night
those squiggles did not make sense
my head ached with tormented symbols
undecipherable, unknown to all
wasn't this a torture
trying to read through utter nonsense
one who said teaching was noble profession
forgot the evaluation part of it
( it was deliberate, I think)

now my calling is to write poetry
about you, about me, about anything
that pisses me massive
those written words send out missives
to those regions in our minds hitherto unknown
(Here I am trying to be important, you know)
I try to dissolve everything that surrounds me
letting it permeate all corners of my mind
sometimes it sticks on the walls
(and why shouldn't it?)

"at this rate, going from teaching to poetry,
I will end up as a shoemaker,
or I might just end up as a rambler
only talk and talk, and do nothing"

17 comments:

Linda Jacobs said...

Oh, boy, do I understand this poem! I love how you describe correcting the papers!

But, I'm on vacation this week so I don't want to even think about school!

anthonynorth said...

I think you've captured the ideals of most poets there. Well said.

Claudia said...

I really enjoyed this. Especially since I'm about to give my final exams this week...!

Wayne Pitchko said...

i thought i had made comment when i read this...but i guess not...anyways ive read it again...once again BRAVO

Jeremiah's House said...

I don't think I would like to correct papers either. I guess it is good that I work in technology and am just messing around with phones and the software that runs them :-)

I like your poem.

Anonymous said...

Come on now...Maths is poetry. I loved this:

'I try to dissolve everything that surrounds me
letting it permeate all corners of my mind
sometimes it sticks on the walls'
:)

Liz at Yips and Howls said...

As a former social studies teacher, I can relate to this. Loved my students, but needed to escape the daily grind to tap into another kind of creativity. You capture the inner struggle around it all very well.

Danielle Filas said...

Oh do I relate! The only part about teaching I truly hate is grading papers. It's at once humbling (to learn how little you've managed to teach) and disturbing (to learn how little you've managed to teach!) and often boring or frustrating.
The year is coming to a close, though! We can make it!

here it is!!!! said...

ha ha ha....sometimes it is amazing how people with structured career need an unstructured hobby.
I try to get unstructured at work and get into trouble for that :)
I am a Finance Systems Analyst / Consultant depending on where u look me from :)

I do know I talk a lot...

Tumblewords: said...

I love the idea of words sticking to the wall -

sarah said...

Great poem :-) As a homeschool teacher I am lucky that I don't have to grade papers and I can incorporate the things I love into our lessons. And I can stop any time I want and sit down to write a poem. Bliss.

Whitesnake said...

Makes perfect sense.........

Andy Sewina said...

Phew, Hi Gautami, I'm sure I already commented here, anyway, the last line sounds like me - a rambler!

Jeeves said...

Hahaha. Enjoyed this.

Pam said...

You have captured the struggle in deciding to change direction in life. I really like the line, "I try to dissolve everything that surrounds me"-- wonderful.

Borut said...

I suppose Issa, the classical Japanese haiku master would comment, using his own field of expertise:

The horse has farted,
Making me wake up and see:
Flitting fireflies.

Janice Thomson said...

Love it Guatami! You have a wonderful sense of humour.