Monday, August 21, 2017

An Eclipse and the Return of the Daffodil Poem

by Pa Rock
Proud Grandfather

Much of the United States will witness a total eclipse of the sun in a couple of hours, and here, near West Plains, Missouri, about ninety-six percent of the sun's surface will be hidden by the passing moon.  I viewed a partial eclipse while on Okinawa a few years back, but this will be the closest that I ever get to witnessing a "total" eclipse.  I am staying at home and not rushing north to capture the full effect because I want to see how my best friends, the farm animals and deer who live on and around Rock's Roost, react to the sudden change in their environment.

I saw on the internet that Bonnie Tyler will sing her 1983 chart-buster, "Total Eclipse of the Heart," later today while on a cruise ship - just as the eclipse occurs.

But, even so, the noonday darkness will find me at the farm.

The solar eclipse, however exciting, is not the major news here at The Roost this week.  Granddaughter Olive started kindergarten last Tuesday, and Grandson Boone begins college today.  Within the next couple of weeks, Granddaughter Willow will also begin kindergarten.  Pa Rock is thrilled about the new wonders that his grandchildren will soon be experiencing.

This is Monday, so a poem is in order.  Back in the spring of 2014 I used a piece from an episode of the Little Rascals that proved to be very popular with readers of this blog.  In the short film of 1932 entitled Readin' and Writin', the kids are welcoming a new teacher.  Their beloved Miss McGillicuddy has left, and her replacement, Miss Crabtree, has taken over the classroom.  One of the students, Sherwood (Sherwood Bailey) (sometimes known as "Spud") arrives at school with a welcoming poem for the new teacher which his mother had written.  The kids laugh at him, but he reads it anyway - much to the delight of Miss Crabtree.

Another student, Breezy Brisbane, (Kendall McComas), doesn't want to be in school.  His life goal is not to grow up to be the President, but rather to get expelled so that he can pursue his true desire of becoming a streetcar conductor.  "Boy, do they get the nickels!"  Breezy can't get Miss Crabtree to expel him until he throws a spit wad and hits Sherwood.  After that, she sends him home and tells him that he cannot return until he memorizes Sherwood's poem.

Here is the poem that Breezy had to learn and recite - which he eventually did.


The Daffodil Poem
by Sherwood's Mother



High up grew a daffodil,
I couldn't hardly reach her
Said I to me I think I will
get it for my teacher
I clumb to get the daffodil
out on a limb so thin
I tumbled down like Jack and Jill
and skinned my little shin
And here's the pretty daffodil
I brought to my new teacher
I love her dear and I always will:
I'm awful glad to meetcha!


Education is a lifetime adventure - make the absolute most of it!

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