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Thursday, June 23, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
JUST YOU AND I
This poem was written for Caryl (not her real name)I was a high school teacher way back in 1995, and my students (girls)thought I was the sweetest and sexiest thing that had ever dropped out of heaven. I see myself as very ordinary looking, but on more than one occasion more than one person has claimed that I radiate and glow with a rare kind of charm.
I was in my twenties and being told by a bevy of girls that I had sexy gait and looks excited me to no end. One particularly cheeky girl would literally block her face with a book in class. At first I thought she had eye problems, but each time I asked her what the matter was, a ripple of giggles would answer me. Then one time one of her friends blurted out, ``teacher, she is afraid of looking into your eyes.'' Why? I asked, ``they make me feel bad,'' she answered. `How?' I was perplexed. Then a hidden voice gently said, ``sexy sir!'' Who was that?' I fumed. ``But it is true,'' most of the girls chorused back
I got confused and didn't know what to do. I was the only language teacher of English in that school, and I have yet to understand why somebody decided to make two particular books to be set texts at this particular time- Romeo and Juliet for drama, and The Concubine for prose. This two are stories based on highly romantic events. So you can imagine what my classes used to be - teaching love stories as part of the curriculum on one hand, and having to deal with lovely girls who would be beside themselves with excitement whenever I uttered a word. Most of them imitated the way I pronounced words and would repeat occasional phrases after me. Such incidents used to interrupt my classes and every attempt I made to bring them under control invariably led to more mischief
This led to a pattern of study - my lessons were often punctuated with moments of fun. The students themselves would then say, ``now let's carry on with the lesson sir.'' Such were the times that formed the background to this poem. Caryl was one of the loveliest girls in school. She was one of my greatest admirers. Years later when we met, she confessed that she had been and was still madly in love with me. Way back then, I think she was simply infatuated but didn't know how to tell me. Teaching ethics aside, I was not a piece of wooden carving. I too liked Caryl a great deal - the way she walked, her smile but most of all, her voice (read the colour of voices elsewhere in this blog.She was my student, so I fought hard to keep my distance.
Two events gave words to this poem. One break time- I was on duty - Caryl deliberately delayed in the dorms then after everyone else had settled down for lessons, she decided to walk very slowly, almost absent-mindedly, back to class. When I spotted her, I was furious. I asked her what she thought she was doing, but instead of appearing cowed, she smiled and calm replied, ``Teacher, I really like you - the way you talk when you are annoyed, and the way you walk.'' I had a stick in my hand. She then grabbed it, threw it aside and giggling uncontrollably, she took off, running to class. At that moment, I felt and fell in love.
The other incident took place not long after. This was during the April break. The month of April can be one of the most magnificent - what with the tender, green shots; brilliant, silver evenings and clear, crisp star studded night skies. It was against such a lovely, sun flowered evening that I saw Caryl, all smiles and sweet in a nicely fitting floral tunic, walking towards me across a field of green maize crop. I was on my way to our local market. `` I thought I would find you in school,'' was all she said and then she gazed at me with all the adoration a lady in love can master. That night, unable to sleep, this poem broke forth from my heart.
Jut You And I
Yellow, mellow and golden;
A sight as wonderous as Eden-
We BEHOLD.
Just you and I,
In a breathless moment;
Transient but everlasting;
A soothing spell -
Blissful and comforting
Makes us a pair of dancing stars in a dusky sky.
Just you and I,
Your friendly feminine flames
Hotly touching my bosom;
Yet tenderly plucking melodious chords,
Of romantic hosanas in my heart.
Just You and I,
Your joyous gliding spirit
Gently lifting my soul,
Floating light like feathers
Towards mountain peaks,
Of heavenly twilight streaks -
In blazes of pale-red, pinkish-purple and soft amber.
Just you and I
Our heartbeats jingling like Christmas carols;
Fluttering like butterflies on sweet roses,
Thirsty for the honeyed buds.
Just you and I,
Strolling across the universe,
Strangers to each other:
Yet both enraptured by concealed passions.
Just you and I,
Embraced by warm kisses
Of caressing evening breezes.
Just you - the love of my heart.
I was in my twenties and being told by a bevy of girls that I had sexy gait and looks excited me to no end. One particularly cheeky girl would literally block her face with a book in class. At first I thought she had eye problems, but each time I asked her what the matter was, a ripple of giggles would answer me. Then one time one of her friends blurted out, ``teacher, she is afraid of looking into your eyes.'' Why? I asked, ``they make me feel bad,'' she answered. `How?' I was perplexed. Then a hidden voice gently said, ``sexy sir!'' Who was that?' I fumed. ``But it is true,'' most of the girls chorused back
I got confused and didn't know what to do. I was the only language teacher of English in that school, and I have yet to understand why somebody decided to make two particular books to be set texts at this particular time- Romeo and Juliet for drama, and The Concubine for prose. This two are stories based on highly romantic events. So you can imagine what my classes used to be - teaching love stories as part of the curriculum on one hand, and having to deal with lovely girls who would be beside themselves with excitement whenever I uttered a word. Most of them imitated the way I pronounced words and would repeat occasional phrases after me. Such incidents used to interrupt my classes and every attempt I made to bring them under control invariably led to more mischief
This led to a pattern of study - my lessons were often punctuated with moments of fun. The students themselves would then say, ``now let's carry on with the lesson sir.'' Such were the times that formed the background to this poem. Caryl was one of the loveliest girls in school. She was one of my greatest admirers. Years later when we met, she confessed that she had been and was still madly in love with me. Way back then, I think she was simply infatuated but didn't know how to tell me. Teaching ethics aside, I was not a piece of wooden carving. I too liked Caryl a great deal - the way she walked, her smile but most of all, her voice (read the colour of voices elsewhere in this blog.She was my student, so I fought hard to keep my distance.
Two events gave words to this poem. One break time- I was on duty - Caryl deliberately delayed in the dorms then after everyone else had settled down for lessons, she decided to walk very slowly, almost absent-mindedly, back to class. When I spotted her, I was furious. I asked her what she thought she was doing, but instead of appearing cowed, she smiled and calm replied, ``Teacher, I really like you - the way you talk when you are annoyed, and the way you walk.'' I had a stick in my hand. She then grabbed it, threw it aside and giggling uncontrollably, she took off, running to class. At that moment, I felt and fell in love.
The other incident took place not long after. This was during the April break. The month of April can be one of the most magnificent - what with the tender, green shots; brilliant, silver evenings and clear, crisp star studded night skies. It was against such a lovely, sun flowered evening that I saw Caryl, all smiles and sweet in a nicely fitting floral tunic, walking towards me across a field of green maize crop. I was on my way to our local market. `` I thought I would find you in school,'' was all she said and then she gazed at me with all the adoration a lady in love can master. That night, unable to sleep, this poem broke forth from my heart.
Jut You And I
Yellow, mellow and golden;
A sight as wonderous as Eden-
We BEHOLD.
Just you and I,
In a breathless moment;
Transient but everlasting;
A soothing spell -
Blissful and comforting
Makes us a pair of dancing stars in a dusky sky.
Just you and I,
Your friendly feminine flames
Hotly touching my bosom;
Yet tenderly plucking melodious chords,
Of romantic hosanas in my heart.
Just You and I,
Your joyous gliding spirit
Gently lifting my soul,
Floating light like feathers
Towards mountain peaks,
Of heavenly twilight streaks -
In blazes of pale-red, pinkish-purple and soft amber.
Just you and I
Our heartbeats jingling like Christmas carols;
Fluttering like butterflies on sweet roses,
Thirsty for the honeyed buds.
Just you and I,
Strolling across the universe,
Strangers to each other:
Yet both enraptured by concealed passions.
Just you and I,
Embraced by warm kisses
Of caressing evening breezes.
Just you - the love of my heart.
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