Читать книгу The Joy of Lex: - John Thomas Clark - Страница 4

FIRST DAYS

I stand in front of the room. The hostile

crowd is arrayed like isle after small isle

of angry rock in a river –– blued bile

cataracts standing in my first wet mile

as a neophyte teacher. File on file

of flinty-faced sixth-graders, who revile

school, sit on my command. Inside I smile ––

I’ll survive the course down our ten-month Nile.

I sit in front of the room. The docile

creature stands before me. Almost servile

in his wish to please, Lex sits, stands, heels while

I give commands. That day, this versatile

dog, to this day, in his earned blue vest and collar,

listens as well as my best sixth-grade scholar.