I wrote these two poems in 2005 (seriously?!) about the end of the school year and thought this was an opportune moment to post them. I believe I was reading Poe at the time…

 

At the end of the year

 

At the end of the year -

tired and worn

Like the pencil-etched desks -

used and empty.

 

 

At the end of the year (part two)

 

There is a chill of human absence and

a sneaking silence through the cracks of windows

 

Lockers stand open –

revealing the gnarled book and the disjointed folder.

 

Spirits flicker across the shaded courtyard

and down the darkened halls,

Hurrying with their heads down

as if to avoid the echoes of their own feet on the tiled floors.

 

The bell tolls and doors slam.

Engines start and the sun glances off buildings.

A flag snaps and the crows step lightly among the scattered papers.