“Unveiling Secrets: What Happens When Parents and Teachers Meet in Ian Fletcher’s Poetic Realm?”
What happens when you find yourself surrounded by a circle of contented conformity that feels more like a scene from a dull after-school special than a vibrant community gathering? In the poem that follows, we are thrust into the clashing emotions of a parent trapped amongst frumpy middle-aged moms and grey-haired dads, all of whom seem to have traded their youthful zest for mediocrity. It’s a powerful, poignant exploration of the fear that our children might inherit not only our legacies but also our complacencies. As the speaker navigates polite smiles and forced reassurances from teachers, a deep sense of anxiety begins to ripple beneath the surface—what will become of the next generation if they simply mirror the very norms they seem destined to inherit? Well, grab a seat and settle in to ponder this unsettling question while immersing yourself in this stirring piece of poetry. LEARN MORE.
This is a dreary gathering
of frumpy middle-aged mums
and grey-haired balding dads
with me uneasy in their midst.
Pillars of the community
they seem quite content,
a little too content perhaps,
having lost that vitality
of youth, solid citizens
set firmly in their ways,
long past the days when
they might have been
the agents of change
or seekers after truth.
Now they follow norms
indeed are the norms
and require their kids
to obey and conform
so that they’ll grow up
to be just like them.
My child’s teachers
greet me politely
with forced smiles
pretending to care
about her welfare
though after a day
at the chalkface
who can blame them
for not really wanting
to be here this evening?
She’s doing alright
in school they say
so everything’s OK
and they reassure me
her future looks bright
if she tries her best
and passes her tests
but as I look around
at this dismal crowd
I think, sweet Jesus,
please don’t let her
ever end up like us.
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