As I step into the world

by Amita Jadhav
(Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India)

Time to leave school and I’m looking forward
To saying my goodbyes and moving onward
The future for me holds no anxieties or fears
They’ve prepared me well, despite my tears.

I remember too well how they would scold me
I recall nostalgically their efforts to mold me
Every year they made me take umpteen tests
They coaxed me relentlessly to do my best.

I know in class I wasn’t the most attentive
Nor amongst the many students so retentive
Punishments by the score I often attracted
For fidgeting endlessly and being distracted.

Most lessons for me were a crashing bore
Passing marks in math often hard to score
But they always displayed infinite hope
That sooner or later I would learn to cope.

They taught me to stay and stick with it
To face challenges with courage and grit
In spite of all the troubles and the pain
I appreciate how much from them I gained.

So as I prepare to step out into the world
I would like to thank each one of ‘them’-
The wonderful teachers of my school days
Who held my hand all through the rocky way.