Fuckup
Today, before the bell, before the lockdown that would last from ten to two,
my student inquired, did I want to see his ink, it was new. I said a ready yes,
and he shed two shirts to show me his pec with shading and his momma’s name.
And then I showed him mine, my arm, explained its aim, the lion’s name;
and his earnest eyes and tanned tired face met mine for a bonded moment or two
and despite his lack and temporary gaps, despite my own lapses, we shared a yes.
Slow-starter, underslept, with a loose relationship to time—and yes,
a penchant for large, expensive, and possibly ill-advised investments, compulsions too deep to name:
his art a coverup of a screwup, I in need of larger space to fit the Pevensie sisters two.
Well, we both make do; I give us two a gentle, yes, loving name—the description fits me, too.
This post is a blend of the A to Z Blog Challenge and NaPoWriMo. To read other A to Z bloggers, click here. Today’s NaPoWriMo prompt was to write a poem in the tritina form (a shorter variation of the sestina).
Pushing the Bruise 
You are many things, but I would never consider you to be one of those! Human, yes. A beautiful, wonderful human.
Oh, but I am…but thank you just the same for saying it. 🙂 I *do* mean it in the gentlest and lovingest of ways, a term of wry endearment.
You shared a yes – and it’s those moments which make the world magical.
The shared yes–magical indeed. It’s those little moments and their accumulation that make the job of teaching bearable and sustainable. I love that you resonated with that. Thank you.
Beautiful and sensitive and gentle. Grace-filled. A lovely moment shared and reflected.
Thank you. Appreciate your reading and comments.
Precious moment that obviously means a great deal, and most certainly to him as well.
I don’t know if he’ll remember it, but I thought it was sweet that he wanted to show me his tat. 🙂 Thanks for commenting.
Thanks for sharing!
I probably would have titled this “After the Lockdown” simply for the delicious irony of the circumstances. Beautiful poem and I love the idea of teacher and student bonding over this most unexpected of cool things.
That’s an excellent suggestion, which is not surprising given your titling prowess. Thank you! (I had to tie it to the letter F for the A to Z challenge, but I can always change that later.)