Budding Scholars

Budding Scholars

BY APRIL HALPRIN WAYLAND

 

Welcome, Flowers.
Write your name on a name tag.
Find a seat.
Raise your leaf if you’ve taken a class here before.
Let’s go around the room.
Call out your colors.
I see someone’s petal has fallen—
please pick it up and put it in your desk
where it belongs.
Sprinklers at recess,
fertilizer for lunch,
and you may snack on the sun throughout the day.
Excuse me . . .
what’s that in your mouth?
A bee?
Did you
bring enough
for everyone?
April Halprin Wayland, “Budding Scholars” from Sharing the Seasons: A Book of Poems. Copyright © 2010 by April Halprin Wayland. Reprinted by permission of April Halprin Wayland.
Source: Sharing the Seasons: A Book of Poems (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2010)