The Starkey

The day was sunny, cheerful and bright

Swings were swinging in the light.

Kids were playing,

Child’s play

This was my favorite time of day.

My back yard open, my sisters ran

I made a dash for the fence with a master plan

Hanging like a monkey, I inspired their cheer

Then shadows overtook and a look of pure fear.

With medium brown hair and a stern, stuck up nose,

My teacher stood tall as the sunshine froze.

Still clung with my slender hands to that fence,

She ripped me clean off, it didn't make sense.

Flooding the playground with tears of cut knuckles

Mrs. Strakey just stood there enjoying her chuckles.

Tiny and helpless on the ground of stone

She told me to hush as I let out a moan.

With hands of torture she lifted me high

Folded me in half as I continued to cry

Instructed to sit on a wall of brick

I did as I was told without any tricks.

She scolded and screamed with freely swinging hands

With lists full of punishments and severe sounding reprimands.

Hit like a rag doll, backwards I leaned

Fell four feet down, blood splashed and beamed

Now her mouth was fixed open with fright in her eyes

Thinking through thoughts of a thousand different lies.

When I got home, I told all this to mom

Showing her my cuts and bloody palm

Stern as my teacher an rage grew over mom's face

She dialed the phone and began to pace

"Mrs. Starkey!" yelled mom with cheeks of blushed heat

And the rest I wasn't aloud to repeat...