Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, MY ENGLISH TEACHER COMES TO THEE, by RUTH STEWART SCHENLEY


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

MY ENGLISH TEACHER COMES TO THEE, by                    
First Line: She dealt out english with a master hand
Last Line: "be seated, please. I'm glad to see you back in class, once more."
Subject(s): Schools; Students


She dealt out English with a master hand,
Especially the poets. Such a noble band
Of bards tripped from her tongue. And now,
Whatever school she keeps, if you'll allow,
Dear God, give her a little class of cherubs to teach,
With heavenly notebooks and never-ending pens. Let each
Have wonder in his eye. She loved her students so --
She won't feel right without her class, I know.
And in the golden afternoons, when school is done,
Let her favorites come calling, one by one:
Keats and Milton, Chaucer, Dryden, and Pope,
And Alfred Tennyson. Please, gracious Lord, I hope
You'll tame down Byron and Shelley, when they call.
She was so gentle, and she loved them all.
For her sake, let there be many glorious days
To meet the Bard of Avon, and discuss his plays.
And now and then, kind Father, let her be
Deeply glorified -- have the Brownings come to tea.
Ah, what a jewel-filled harvest she will glean
In answer to: "Tell me, Mr. B., what did you mean?"
Let her converse of foot and meter, day by day,
With rare Ben Jonson, Spencer, and Thomas Gray.
And if the authors sometimes forget just what they wrote,
In these discussions, have them be silent, let her quote
Those grand old masters of the magic pen;
For even they will learn from her, angels and men.
After she, knowing their work, has known their souls -- why then
Some day -- please let me slip into her class again.
Prim lipped and smiling eyed, "Now, child, you're late,"
She'll say. "Who wrote De Gustibus? Give name and date.
By the way, I noted and understood your absence. Therefore,
Be seated, please. I'm glad to see you back in class, once more."





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