Let's Hear It for Teachers
Let’s hear it for teachers,
a curious crew.
There isn’t a limit
to what they will do –
they mark all your work
and they do not despair
when you still cannot tell
between ‘there’, ‘their’ and ‘they’re’.
They tell you the same thing
again and again
while you sit staring blankly
and chewing your pen.
Sometimes their job
isn’t terribly fun,
with scary inspectors
and scarier mums,
and screaming young children
and meddling MPs
picking holes in their work
like a lump of Swiss cheese.
But listen to me
for I swear that it’s true:
the reason they teach is
they care about you.
The reason they get up
at stupid o’clock
is to give you the key
that will open the lock.
They’re desperate to help you
to be at your best,
to be better people
(not just pass a test);
to do well, to think well
and walk tall with pride.
Let’s hear it for teachers,
for there [x] their [x] they’re on your side.
(published in I Don't Like Poetry)