A School Education

living here is strange
they never told me at school –
that this all just a game
they never told me –
about all this pain
and all the stress and strain
they just helped me up –
brushed me down
and fixed the grazes on my knees
taught me to stand in line –
say, yes, no and yes please
they never told me at school
taught me to read and write
and do occasional sums
but not much about life
and the sums in life, unlike school –
never add up to what you’d like
what happened to cuddles?
when you became upset
living here is strange



James Garratt – Monday 11th February 2008