The Stars are Waiting
Not a door closing but
steps further away
Not steps further away but
in a different direction
Not steps in a different
direction but
new steps, full of vigor
carrying thirty years
of children with me –
their laughter, joy, and sorrow
Their curiosity and
wide-eyed wonder
Their innocence and will to
believe in things, unseen
Their ability to forgive and
care just as fully as before…
Their upside-down grins –
hanging from the monkey-bars
Their antics and giggles
while no-one is watching
Their antics and giggles
while everyone is watching
Their rush to comfort when
friends are down
and their love of everything new
Everything – no longer new
but my steps
New is what I’ll search for as I
take in my surroundings… seeing more –
New is stillness on the forest path; the
unturned stone of the future
New is learning to hop-skip on the beach again –
the invitation of the ocean’s swell
New is sitting in a tree
reading poetry by Maya Angelou
New is building a garden big enough to house
hundreds of peace stones; gifts, accumulated
New is baking up a storm for doors
once again, flung wide
New is flinging doors open-wide
arms, too – hearts, singing
Being the kite
wafting in the wind
the stars are waiting
(Cristy Watson, 2021)
I’m smiling. This is such a heartwarming poem… I hope you have a great time ahead in life. I don’t think teachers ever retire. The students carry their lessons forward and the stream of knowledge keeps flowing. I wish you the best of luck! 😀
Thank you so much, Bavishya! I appreciate all your thoughtful comments on my poems! I hope the students with whom I have worked over the years do carry their lessons forward. I know I learned a ton from them! And now – retiring to write! 🙂
This is a lovely poem to lead you into retirement where the children you have taught over many years become your teachers with many lessons on how to live the rest of your life.
I so agree, psarvasy – they are my teachers now! Thank you for your comment! 🙂
Cristy. Love the repetitions. Not…. and Their… and the sense of motion in the poem, It’s forward movement into your future. Not a looking back in the heart of it! Simply lovely!
Forward, for sure and I am glad the repetition moved this piece in that direction – that was what I was hoping for!! Now to live my mantra! 🙂