First Day At School Poem by Roger McGough

First Day At School

Rating: 3.9


A millionbillionwillion miles from home
Waiting for the bell to go. (To go where?)
Why are they all so big, other children?
So noisy? So much at home they
Must have been born in uniform
Lived all their lives in playgrounds
Spent the years inventing games
That don't let me in. Games
That are rough, that swallow you up.

And the railings.
All around, the railings.
Are they to keep out wolves and monsters?
Things that carry off and eat children?
Things you don't take sweets from?
Perhaps they're to stop us getting out
Running away from the lessins. Lessin.
What does a lessin look like?
Sounds small and slimy.
They keep them in the glassrooms.
Whole rooms made out of glass. Imagine.

I wish I could remember my name
Mummy said it would come in useful.
Like wellies. When there's puddles.
Yellowwellies. I wish she was here.
I think my name is sewn on somewhere
Perhaps the teacher will read it for me.
Tea-cher. The one who makes the tea.

First Day At School
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Dick Badian 04 November 2009

glassrooms..I love this creative writing. this poem made me smile. thank u

76 55 Reply
David Woods 16 March 2009

Whimsey. With soul. Takes me back.

49 55 Reply
Mariana Balestrini 08 September 2007

I am a teacher and this poem has touched my soul deeply as well as it has made me remember my days at kindergarten. What a fantastic poet with such a sweet view!

62 38 Reply
Akanksha Bhatt 01 October 2012

this poem makes me smile too! Tea-cher. The one who makes the tea hahaha! well! . really its awesome. i really feel this is the thinking of a small child!

56 34 Reply
Ian Fraser 17 February 2009

It reminds me of the famous joke in Laurie Lee's Cider with Rosie. The teacher tells Laurie to 'wait there for the present' but he goes home never having got one....

42 42 Reply
lalisa 07 September 2022

lol i did this in school today

1 6 Reply
marvin porser 23 March 2022

The Ballad of Salvation Bill by robert service is aAwesome100lines.i memorize it in the 11thgrade and still know it today at 85 years old.

1 3 Reply
Rose Marie Juan-austin 21 July 2021

A well crafted humorous poem. Very entertaining.

0 3 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 21 July 2021

2) hilarious poem, but never to insult these kids, just to show HOW it goes that First Day At School. I regard this poem full of intelligence to think and create a poem about that First School Day. A marvelous poem 5 Stars Full Most deserving as The Modern Poem Of The Day

0 3 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 21 July 2021

1) First Day At School is almost for any kid a long and fearing day, the words the kid hears is always not right, like Teacher, the kid's ear hears: tea-cher, the one who makes the tea,

1 3 Reply
READ THIS POEM IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Roger McGough

Roger McGough

Liverpool / England
Close
Error Success