School Poems 4
Insomnia
by Kathy Kenney-Marshall
I cannot get to sleep tonight.
I toss and turn and flop.
I try to count some fluffy sheep
while over a fence they hop.
I try to think of pleasant dreams
of places really cool.
I don't know why I cannot sleep -
I slept just fine at school.
Falling Asleep in Class
by Kenn Nesbitt (adapted)
I fell asleep in class today,
as I was awfully bored.
I laid my head upon my desk
and closed my eyes and snored.
I woke to find a piece of paper
sticking to my face.
I'd slobbered on my textbooks,
and my hair was a disgrace.
My clothes were badly rumpled,
and my eyes were glazed and red.
My body felt so heavy
and I couldn’t lift my head.
I slept through class, and probably
I would have slept some more,
except my students woke me
as they headed out the door.
You may have noticed, teacher,
I am not in school today.
But the tape deck on my desk,
Will record each word you say.
Switch on my laptop's Webcam,
When you have something to show,
And if you pass out homework,
Find my fax number below.
I’ve a pager and a cell phone,
So I won’t be hard to reach.
Since I don’t need to be in class,
I’ll do lessons at the beach.
Get Out of Bed!
by Diane Z. Shore
"Get out of bed, you silly fool!
Get up right now, it's time for school.
If you don't dress without a fuss,
I'll throw you naked on the bus!"
"Oh, Mom, don't make me go today.
I'm feeling worse than yesterday.
You don't know what I'm going through.
I've got a strange, rare case of flu.
"My body aches, my throat is sore.
I'm sure I'm knocking on death's door.
You can't send me to school-achoo!-
'Cause everyone could get it, too.
"Besides, the kids despise me there.
They always tease and always stare.
And all the teachers know my name.
When something's wrong, it's me they blame."
"You faked a headache yesterday.
Don't pull that stuff on me today.
Stop acting like a silly fool-
The principal cannot skip school!"
I told my mom I'd go to work
if she would go to school.
She thought that trading places once
just might be kind of cool.
So she agreed; I packed her lunch
and made her wash her face.
Then Mother said, "I wonder why
you want to take my place?"
"I wonder what you do at work.
I'd like to meet your boss.
Now hurry up and brush your teeth
and don't forget to floss.
"There's just one other thing, Mom,
that I forgot to mention:
I'll pick you up at four o'clock-
today you have detention."