Poetry Corner
No Other Way
Governessing is made of moments, good, bad and funny. I don’t think I’d change each experience for the world. I penned this while sitting in the Arkaroola schoolroom (2000) waiting for the kids to return. While enjoying my moments of peace.
On
the weekends
I run a little room
Organised and neat
Tidy as can be
Everything has a place
And everything in its place
That's what I say
But that goes out the window
8.30 to 3.30 every weekday
This is the time
My tidy little room goes
From organised and neat
To a tidy little heap
For 5 days it's
'Could you pickup this please'
'Could you put that away'
If not those words
Then similar anyway
Here they come running
From a half an hours play
Pulling things apart
Causing havoc to my dismay
On the weekends
I run a little room
Organised and neat
Tidy as can be
And I wouldn't want it any other way.
(Well not often)
By Lee-Anne Bright
The Window
I penned this at South Gap in my first year of governessing. It was written on 13 of August 1997. The year 3 schoolwork had a fantastic unit on poetry, which inspired me to start writing again. What a great lifestyle governessing is, it allows you to follow all your dreams.
You wake up in the morning,
What a great looking day
Out the window the sun shines
away.
Getting up and having breakfast
Hoping for delight not dismay
For out the window the sun shines
away.
Into the schoolroom we go
Starting a new day
Looking out the window the sun
shines away.
Finally reached smoko
She’s trying her best
Still out the window the sun
shines away
Back into the schoolroom
Back to the fray
Through the window the sun shines
away.
Lunchtime has arrived
I’m feeling frazzled and dazed
Yet out the window the sun shines
away.
Afternoon filled with Art and
science
Developmental play
And out the window the sun shines
away.
School is out at last
She’ll get a star
As we look out the window the sun
shines away.
The rest or the day is mine at
last
Peace and sunshine
Then I look out the window and see
rain coming this way.
GONE NORTH
Hello there! I have just been reading through the Govie's Website and realised that there are no poems in the Poetry Corner! I love seeing what is happening with all my fellow govies and friends and wanted to contribute to the web page, so I have forwarded this. Is it possible to just add a note to the poem that it is all tongue-in-cheek and is in no way intended to offend anyone? I have loved working in Northern Australia and the people have been wonderful - they just tease a little sometimes and I felt it was my right to give reply.
I have left my home of culture and gone to Northern Land
Where the people are peculiar and speech hard to understand.
They’re dropping vowels and consonants like they’re out of date;
It doesn’t matter who you are you’re always someone’s “mate”.
And the major thing corrupting me the longer that I
stay
Is the Gulf Land’s favourite phrase: “That’d be proper of ‘ya - eh!”
Well, they drink the beer in cartons and as the night goes on
They develop bouts of ‘wisdom’ - least they can’t
talk for long!
Just because we run sheep at home on our property
They have decided they can speak to me improperly.
So I’m the Cocky’s daughter - an heiress to the flock;
No, we do not need special ‘gloves’ to help control the stock!
No, we don’t wear big gumboots, and we don’t appreciate
You’re uneducated humour; so get over it, mate!
Yes, our television’s coloured; we have the internet,
A fax, a phone, a microwave - much more than them, I’d bet.
We don’t need a hoard of ringers to help us work the land,
And the intricacies of shearing - they’ll never understand.
Up North there’s a wet season when they paddle in the mud
In THEIR bloody gumboots, enjoying the season’s flood.
So they wouldn’t know of drought - of dozing through the scrub -
The greatest trial for them is when next they’ll see the pub!
We don’t chase bovines on our equines with canines at our feet;
Us updated people find that bikes and GOOD dogs are hard to beat!
Yes, Kelpies are the way to go (throw in a Collie too),
They can work far superior to an old, worn-out Blue.
Do you see what I must live with, though many trialing days?
These silly Northern simpletons who refuse to mend their ways.
But change will fall upon them; they must prepare to see
It is time to learn some culture - lucky they’ve got
me!
So, mate, I’m glad yer listened to all I ‘ad to say,
Please, learn from me trials - that’d be proper of ‘ya, eh!
By Jennifer Haig
A Govie's Code!
I will teach you
I will guide you
I will walk you through the course.
I will love you
I will protect you
I will be proud of you…..Of course!
I will lead you
I will follow you
I will let you have your say.
I will be strict
I will be tough
But, in a loving way!
You will be my student
You will be my child
You will make me play my part.
You will be my family
You will be my friend
And when I leave, you are in my heart!
We will laugh together
We will cry together
We will build our special band.
We will grow together
We will learn together
We will walk together, hand in hand!
By Deanne Day 21/09/2004
My forgetter
This poem was sent to me as a Forward email. I don't know who wrote it but It applies to me and a lot of govies and kids I know around the country.
My forgetter's getting better,
But my rememberer is broke
To you that may seem funny
But, to me, that is no joke
For when I'm "here" I'm wondering
If I really should be "there"
And, when I try to think it through,
I haven't got a prayer!
Oft times I walk into a room,
Say "what am I here for?"
I wrack my brain, but all in vain!
A zero, is my score.
At times I put something away
Where it is safe, but, Gee!
The person it is safest from
Is, generally, me!
When shopping I may see someone,
Say "Hi" and have a chat,
Then, when the person walks away
I ask myself, "who was that?"
Yes, my forgetter's getting better
While my rememberer is broke,
And it's driving me plumb crazy
And that isn't any joke.
CAN YOU RELATE??? Please send this to everyone you know
because I DON'T REMEMBER WHO I SENT THIS TO!!!!
