Wednesday's Poem: Back to School

What a stroke of luck that I began (and gleefully finished) reading “The Teachers Are Loose” by Erik Bloch even though it is double-spaced with short lines, a choice that often equals melodrama. In Bloch’s usage, the form is playful and complements the equally playful subject matter. I found this poem a week or so after my teaching semester ended, and while I didn’t “hot-wire // the best cars // in the student lot,” I may have if my students drove cars. Who knows what can happen during those blissful first moments of a break? In Bloch’s imagination, the high school teachers have declared their own break, chaining up the doors after second period. They frolic in teenage-style, making this poem the perfect escapist fantasy for any beleaguered Spanish or math teacher who’s ever had a carefully rendered explanation greeted with “That’s whack.”

 “The Teachers Are Loose” was originally published at anderbo.com.

Comments

[Rick Rofihe]

Thanks for blogging!
Rick Rofihe, Editor,
anderbo.com

[Erica]

Thanks for publishing such a great poem, Rick! One that both my poet- and teacher-friends can get into.

[Erik Bloch]

Erica,

Seeing this made my day! Please feel free to share at will. So glad you liked it. And thanks to Rick at Anderbo!

[Erica]

Thanks for reading, Erik! I hope your school year hasn't made you want to hot wire student cars.