October is a teacher

· by · in free verse, poetry. ·

October is a teacher;
a spinster sometimes stern,
but she still consoles
the silent student
with her wind of words.

October is a teacher
who dyes her hair with henna,
hiding streaks of grey,
her lips are painted crimson
and she bleaches teeth
to better bite;
but late at night alone
she often cries herself to sleep.

October is a teacher
with ferocious fists and bliss
of harvest kisses blown.

Teacher's Birthday by Norman Rockwell

Teacher’s Birthday by Norman Rockwell

A second offering for Magaly’s October prompt at toads. Thank you to Shawna to raise my comment to a poem. Will link this to Tuesday plattform.
—
October 17, 2016

31 responses to “October is a teacher”

  3. I really think this would make an excellent prompt. And you could extend it. It could be about any month and any occupation. “January is a crossing guard,” or whatever. 🙂

    I really like the changes you made, especially adding “blown” to the last line. It makes the rhythm even better. And then there’s the “bite”/”night” rhyme you tweaked it with.

    Awesome poem, B. I think this will be well-loved by all.

  4. but late at night alone
    she often cries herself to sleep.

    On the surface everything’s fine! But one can never know what lies beneath the facade!

    Hank

  5. October is my most favorite month. Your poem expresses why. October teaches me gratitude for cooler temps and brilliant colors. It teaches me the impermanence of everything and the futility of grudges. It teaches me to savor sensation and release regret. I love October.

  12. I love this so much–dyeing her hair henna. What a great visual. And crying herself to sleep at night. That’s what we’ve been hearing the last few days. Such a great personification.

  17. I’m with Gypsie, Bjorn. For a time I would open a month and give honor to the page of my old car calendar post for the month. I liked the poem of course, I always do like yours. Thank you.
    But also I like the picture. Those desks are more modern than the ones we had, but all else is about the same. We generally had eight in our one-room school, grades 1-8, but a few doubled up and others could be empty. About half of us or more were cousins.
    ..

  21. I love this, Björn! having been a teacher, I could really relate to the lines:
    ‘her lips are painted crimson
    and she bleaches teeth
    to better bite;
    but late at night alone
    she often cries herself to sleep.’

  22. You’ve captured October the “teacher” with pinpointed description to go along with your photo! Recalls the old one-room schoolhouses — my friends & I used to play in one that still stood (but was no longer in use) years ago..

  24. There is something captivating about the first verse, a melodic rhyming that can at one moment be so innocent yet at other really personally strong and important. I almost wish you repeated it and squeezed it in on more places 🙂

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