A Poet at Heart!

When Miss Liz, Chase and Ryder's Pre-K teacher, first met the boys and was getting to know them she was amazed at how different they are, though I had warned her.  As she was learning their personalities she described them this way: "Chase a future Politician, and Ryder is going to be a poet!"
I laughed when she said this.  Not because she was wrong, nor because I disagreed, but because I consider myself a bit of poet,  poet at heart, and I wasn't sure it was something I could pass on to my son.
Just for the record, a poet, to me, is not someone who has written some poems, but instead someone who can hear the poetry in things, like the wind.
I used to write poems all of the time, particularly in college.  The last one I wrote and posted was this one.

The other day, a friend asked me to help her write a poem for a friend of hers.  She gave me some information and I got thinking.  In the end, I wrote two poems.  Same notes, totally different style and feel.  One a tear jerker, the other a bit lighter.  She chose the lighter side.  I guess in my old age I have become a sap because I preferred the first one.   Either way, here they are....which do you like?

If a Teacher, Then a Friend!

If  at first you were my Teacher, and science is what I learned

            Then a grade was just the beginning of the Wonders that I earned

If second you were an officer monitoring those halls

            Then I was Lucky to have you next me during all of those

Hawk Football calls

If next you were my Mentor, teaching not textbook but life

            Then you had a hand in removing much of my high school strife

If you became like a Mom to me demanding that I never let my standards drop

            Then I hope I showed my Gratitude by keeping them atop

If at first you were my Teacher the lesson planning had to end

            Then the teaching really started when you became my Friend.

-------------------

ULTIMATELY

Some people called you Teacher and I suppose

that's what you were,

But to me you were Marksee,

or better yet, "Officer."

To some you taught science –

Biological, Physical, Earth

But, to me, you taught Life and helped me understand

The value of my self-worth

I could depend on you, no doubt, when needed

For life's important things, your advice was always heeded

Whether cheering on the Hawks,

or teaching me the difference between men and boys,

Or yelling at me for, instead of dancing, making too much noise.

Somehow, from Teacher, you became much more in the end

Mentor, Yenta, Mom- ultimately, my Friend