Our good luck charm for cards

Squirrel stalking food
Twitching whiskers
Seeking out
The left over banquet
Of summer
Like me storing up energy
For Fall.

I should be teaching reading about now
Just before the lunch bell rings
Instead of sitting on my deck
Reading a good book.
I should be looking out
At hungry minds and restless bodies
Instead of  sipping soda
And relaxing.
I should be doing recess duty
Watching children play
Instead of monitoring
The squirrels in my backyard.
I should be counting money
Or telling time in math class
Instead of losing track of time
Or even what day it is.
I should be doing a science experiment
Instead of experiencing
The wonders of nature
And the chemistry of a fall day.
I should be in school
Instead
I'm still learning.

Watching the kids
Waiting for the School patrol
Flash of colors
And waving arms
Tangle of legs
And sleepy smiles
Forming the student body
At the Bus Stop.

Trying to process
The process of a new job

My brain seems to melt
Into the computer
Like the buttons
On the cash register

People in line
Become items
To check off

Books on the shelf
Are an inconvenience
To dusting

Making change
Is a dirty job

Things take on new meaning
As the meaning of work changes.

Recipe for a clean drawer

A pinch of paper
A smidgen of aged receipts
1/2 stack of expired coupons
A dozen broken binders
Pens and pencils to taste
Close drawer and enjoy!

September

The cycle of summer
Fading into fall
A disruption in time
For a teacher
To be home
The first week in September...