The Trusted Beacon

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

A TEACHER'S PLEDGE

A Teacher's Pledge

By Robert John Meehan

To the DIFFICULT ones

I'll be patient

To the PAINED ones

I'll be concerned

To the FRUSTRATED ones

I'll be committed

To the IGNORED ones

I'll be accepting

To the INDIFFERENT ones

I'll be caring

To the DEMANDING ones

I'll be modeling

To the ANTISOCIAL ones

I'll be including

To the INATTENTIVE ones

I'll be interesting

To the NEGATIVE ones

I'll be assisting

To the UNFEELING ones

I'll be reflective

To the DISTRACTED ones

I'll be focusing

To the UNACCEPTED ones

I'll be embracing

To the SERIOUS ones

I'll be amusing

To the INEXPERIENCED ones

I'll be enriching

To the SUBVERSIVE ones

I'll be forgiving

To the LAMENTED ones

I'll be consoling

To the OTHER ones

I'll just assign bubble tests !

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

A HUG at ARM'S LENGTH

By Robert John Meehan

An inveigled law impossible to define

Or a ratiocination barring sensations sublime

Now be it a resolution

Benumbing meaningful hugs

While our reassuring arms are brazenly shackled

As if we were thugs

No longer a caring a closeness

Dare be perceived

Nor a lasting acceptance possibly believed

A new forbiddance of sharing souls

Now mandated by the court

By a purblind law demanding

Denying hugs now be tort

Relegating a closeness a bonding forbiddingly conceived

Dare a bad touch to a child be mistakenly perceived

Hence a comforting shield from unannounced harm

Now regulated by law... to a securing glance

Or meaningless words of charm

Now be it... a warm welcoming smile dissolves undiscovered

With only chance eye contact diminishing hope it's discovered

No longer a child shall a teacher's caring soul to greet

Nor our soul's selflessness without sharing hugs when we meet

A law regulating human hugs

They would deceivingly bestow

A hug at arm's length...

Is no way to greet a child we know!

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Wednesday, December 14, 2011

FROST (THE TEACHER'S JOURNEY)

By Robert John Meehan

Sometimes a moment

Stands out in time

A new life discovered

By a moment in rhyme

Everything changed by

A single selection

A turning point made

In a moment's alliteration

A new life to continue

Discovered in rhyme

One moment that changed

My life for all time

In that moment of time

A difference was made

My turning point reached

A life's validity laid

My life's road discovered

By a lesson in rhyme

That road less traveled

Was that selection of mine

And that too has made

All the difference

A JANUARY FEAR

A January Fear

By Robert John Meehan

A sick day a sick day

I'll not make it all year

My class is all here

Down to each little sneer

A sick day a sick day

I'll not make it all year

Those cute little creatures

Have nothing to fear

A sick day a sick day

I'll not make it all year

Still knowing that teacher's

Not entirely here

A sick day a sick day

I'll not make it all year

Each little tear

Makes it perfectly clear

A sick day a sick day

I'll not make it all year

A day off is coming

And hopefully near

A sick day a sick day

I'll not make it all year

It's harder and harder

Maintaining my leer

A sick day a sick day

I'll not make it all year

Perhaps my behavior's

becoming quite queer

A sick day a sick day

I'll not make it all year

Perhaps in the morning

I'll call in and with fear

A SICK DAY A SICK DAY

I'VE GOT A PAIN IN MY EAR

Alas, I can hear my principle jeer

With a resigning smirk easy to hear

NO SICK DAY NO SICK DAY

SORRY MY DEAR

NO SICK DAYS NO SICK DAYS

REMAINING THIS YEAR

Friday, November 25, 2011

A SIMPLE MATTER

By Robert John Meehan

My pencil is on the floor

Just what am I to do

I'll not get it with my feet

As the other children do

The test has already started

I'm in danger of falling behind

If only a fellow student

Would return it in ample time

My palms are now sweating

My frustration's beginning to show

No talking is permitted

Thus my pencil lies below

If my eyes were to wander

For a helping hand to find

Would my teacher be believing

Or would questions of cheating be defined

As I squirm anxiously in my seat

There's sweat forming on my brow

I wantingly glance beneath me

Believing I'll retrieve it yet somehow

A commotion I could make

But others I would distract

Or an illness I could fake

With a slim chance the test retake

I glance up at the clock

With feelings of dismal shock

Wishing in my predicament

My teacher soon takes stock

I hesitatingly raise my hand

As a tear trickles down my cheek

Hoping and praying all along

That my teacher's eyes and mine do meet

But much to my dismay

She's still looking another way

With hopes of finishing diminishing

I'll need find yet another way

I swallow a gulp of air

In hopes of clearing my throat

In need of my teacher's attention

To questions with answers yet unwrote

In fear of promoting a commotion

I begrudgingly bury my head

Any hopes of a successful solution

Are lost in my feelings of dread

With a tap on my shoulder from behind me

And a tug on my chair's brake release

My teacher's whispering voice reminds me

My wheelchair's brake to release

With a smile and a nod to assure me

To put my worst expectations to rest

My teacher returns me my pencil

And on I continue my test

Thursday, November 24, 2011

SANCTUARY

By Robert John Meehan

In the stillness of the moment

Our eyes quietly meet

A nod from me approving

Good behavior in their seat

La Tisha and Amanda

Quietly working at their task

While Frederick and La Tonya

File up for questions yet to ask

Robert and Desmond

With counselor soon to meet

As Brian and Krisha

Resist playing footsie with their feet

In the solitude of the morning

My class is all on task

A smile from me Ok'ing

There'll be time for questions yet to ask

I can hear Michael sighing

As yesterday's homework's done

While noticing all the while

That Sara's just begun

With pencil to the paper

A whispering sound I hear

As Clarissa and Latoya

To Ronda lend an ear

Niki and Lakisha

This quiet moment to invest

Both silently preparing

Knowing tomorrow brings a test

Brandon and Malinda

Their attention never waning

Even Tyrone and Kevin

New knowledge are obtaining

While Anthony intently studies

The biography of Dr. King

Jackie's yet perceiving

Her book's new wonders soon to spring

Nodding and affirming

My smile fans the class

Not a sound unconfirming

That they're mindful of their task

A SOUND OF SCREECHING TIRES

Interrupts our private life

As little bodies scramble

To the gunfire's ambient strife

Glass shattering around them

Each immediate sanctuary sought

As frightened eyes search out mine

Wondering what of this we wrought

NO..Not just another drive-by

But the unveiling of a not so innocent truth

NO..Not just another drive-by

But a vile invasion of our precious youth

Friday, November 11, 2011

A RESILIENT CHILD

By Robert John Meehan

Positive outlook initiative and effort

Progress and friendship encouraging more effort

Expanding my interests building my skills

Effectiveness in work no longer just frills

Humor and focus with higher esteem

Critical thinking my teachers will gleam

Problem solving thinking abstractly

Handicaps dissolving progressing exactly

Now in control... My feelings to share

No one's to wonder...MY POTENTIAL BEWARE !