Welcome to School

We sat Indian style, & sang our pledge
to Audubon, painted birds on every wall,
& heard mirage when our teachers said
mural. We stole soccer balls from French
exchange, spiked them on the walkway
& yelled touchdown. My friend, where
are you now? We tripped over tree roots
racing to the playground, walked the sea
of wood chips to the plastic ship’s eye
& wheel. We bartered Super Donuts for
extra cartons of chocolate milk, played
duck, duck, duck, duucck, duuuuccckkk
goose. We vamoosed around a sunken
circle of laughter. We were hedgehogs,
were road runners & sombrero mice.
We were bullets, the Flash & every Green
Lantern; the Black ones, the White ones,
the alien ones too.


The United States of Montessori, by Clemonce Heard


For second grade I was bussed into the center of the city as part of a court ordered desegregation plan. I have fond memories of that school (which is now closed) and my classmates from that time. We were the Trailblazers.


The music was pretty good back then too. Here's one from an album I've been enjoying on my way into work recently.