Dear Teacher Poem by Michael Pruchnicki

Pick a book for a class report,
Mrs Delarue said one morning.

Easy for you, dear teacher, I thought
The books I like to read probably
won't pass muster in this class.
You're a proper lady, I can see,
and me? I'm a restless adolescent
who longs for adventure in the world
outside these walls. I suffered through
Pride and Prejudice last semester
with all the giggly girls in class
who didn't have a clue what the book
was all about. I never let on
that I liked the book very much,
just to avoid the teasing
that would have come my way!
We never got to read
The Red Badge of Courage
because the girls protested.
So boring, they all said.
See what I mean, Mrs Delarue?

So I'll politely decline to select
a book this time for your class.
Instead, I'll read one on my own,
if that's all right with you.

Sincerely yours