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The Lesson by Roger McGough   
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Roger McGough
Roger McGough (1937 - / Liverpool / England)
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McGough was born in Litherland, Lancashire, to the north of Liverpool, the city with which he is firmly associated, and was educated at the University .. more >>
16 poems of Roger McGough
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The Lesson

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  Chaos ruled OK in the classroom
as bravely the teacher walked in
the nooligans ignored him
hid voice was lost in the din

"The theme for today is violence
and homework will be set
I'm going to teach you a lesson
one that you'll never forget"

He picked on a boy who was shouting
and throttled him then and there
then garrotted the girl behind him
(the one with grotty hair)

Then sword in hand he hacked his way
between the chattering rows
"First come, first severed" he declared
"fingers, feet or toes"

He threw the sword at a latecomer
it struck with deadly aim
then pulling out a shotgun
he continued with his game

The first blast cleared the backrow
(where those who skive hang out)
they collapsed like rubber dinghies
when the plug's pulled out

"Please may I leave the room sir?"
a trembling vandal enquired
"Of course you may" said teacher
put the gun to his temple and fired

The Head popped a head round the doorway
to see why a din was being made
nodded understandingly
then tossed in a grenade

And when the ammo was well spent
with blood on every chair
Silence shuffled forward
with its hands up in the air

The teacher surveyed the carnage
the dying and the dead
He waggled a finger severely
"Now let that be a lesson" he said

Roger McGough


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Read poems about / on: teacher, girl, today, silence, hair, lost, fire

 
  Comments about this poem (The Lesson by Roger McGough )
Click here to write your comments about this poem (The Lesson by Roger McGough )
 
  Lewis Neil Is Awsome  (11/4/2009 4:54:00 PM)

Wow, that was pretty good, but i hear there is this poem called 'Neil is awsome', it was life changing and insperational. Read it and vote it a 10!
  Luca Luca  (10/6/2009 9:57:00 AM)

it's an ironic poem. i liked it because it seems like a funny poem, but if you read it with attenction you can understand the real meaning. it speeks about violence and i found it very interesting. after reading this poem i understood that we must be always honest and we have to 'fight' violence with good actions.

by luca peluso from casalnuovo
  Claudio & Daniele Fummo  (10/5/2009 4:36:00 PM)

If it is true that violence comes from our hearts, therefore we must control it.
We mustn't submit to violence, because man is a creauture of peace, of freedom,
who can't live imprisoned, enslaved by something.
Many people can think that violence is an istrument of power, but they are all wrong: violence is the tool of the most poor, of the one who can't go on by dialogue.This shall be our best weapon:
dialogue, to combat violence, and not violence.
I think that this is the message that McGough would to teach us with this meaningful poem.

By The Twins from Casalnuovo, Neaples
  Mattia Brognoli  (10/5/2009 3:42:00 PM)

This poem has a base very ironic. The author wants us to enjoy making us also reflect on the real violence in the world such as wars, terrorism and denounced. However, it is very funny even though some may remain more sensitive shocked by this violence ironic.
  Vanny Reccia  (10/5/2009 1:50:00 PM)

i was schoking, spechless and disgusting after the reading of the poem, and i think that are extactly the feeling that the author wanted to create in us. The poet want say us that we are continuasly sorraunded by violence, that is every day mach more waidspread and somethis because of her spread a lot of people respond to it with more violence. what was the techer extactly doing in the poem, responding to his bad-temperated students with the violence. We must be always good, honest and disgusting by violence not indefferent to it

kiss vany =)
  Markus Marco  (10/5/2009 1:09:00 PM)

i think that this poem is very beautiful and very important because it expresses an important thing ' the violence' beacuse, every day violence is everywhere and everydays we listen a lot of things about violence.
  Roberto Gerardo  (10/5/2009 12:53:00 PM)

Nowadays we are surround by violence, everyday we listen about hundrends violence's cases in families and everywhere.Roger want to make us to see all this violence that many times we don't examine.However we can also see a funny side of the poem that is evident.


Saluti dal vostro amato Sandokan: D... Un Bacione a tutti e Fate i bravi: P
  Nello Giuliano  (10/5/2009 12:34:00 PM)

Violence is everywhere: in the streets, in the schools and even in the families.
We cannot be indifferent to this problem. It's a very serious situation, it's unacceptable to live in a world in which every day, when we watch TV, we see;
'Mother killed her son' or 'Husband killed his wife and after he killed himself'.
I think that this problem will transform our society in a real jungle in whic only the stronger will survive.

By Nello Giuliano from Casalnuovo di Napoli
  Floriana Coccia  (10/5/2009 12:30:00 PM)

After reading this poem I felt speechless, the situation described in the poem is anormal.We can learn a lot from the poem, nowadays we are sorround by violence but nevertheless, we must not make it a normal thing and we must try to destroy it.


Kiss
Floriana Coccia ^^

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