TAKS Poem

I wrote this poem for the faculty at my school.  I hope you enjoy.

In the book of Revelation John tells of a beast

With 666 as its mark

Scholars know that this beast is quite evil

And that our last days will be dark

 

But for us there’s a beast with a much different tag

Yet it’s evil and vile all the same

A beast with a power so awesome

That at times I dare not speak its name

 

It could be I’m just superstitious

Or maybe I’m just being wise

But our beast has a name that’s both tempting and cruel

With a flavor that we all despise

 

Do not be confused by its cute outer shell

For it has several tricks up its sleeve

It will lure you in close…make you think that you’re safe

Then cause pain that you will not believe

 

So stand strong and cheer loud for our heroes!

Our last line of defense…yes they are

Wave your banner with pride don’t be bashful

Cuz these kids, they have really come far

 

And I find myself talking like Yoda

“Mind what you’ve learned…save you it can”

See our beast has an unfair advantage

For it was not created by man

 

Yes, our beast is a hideous demon

And in each of our hearts it strikes fear

But take ease in the words I am saying

It only comes round once a year.

 

HAPPY TAKS DAY!!!

Letter to Legislators

I wrote an email to my state Senator and my state Representatives asking them to do what’s right regarding education in Texas.  I decided to post it here with the hope that it might inspire someone else to do the same thing.   Read what I wrote and feel free to use it as a model for a letter of your own, change it a little to make it your own, or even copy it word for word and pass it off as your own.  You can click on the link below, put in your zip code and find the names and email addresses of your local Senators and Representatives.

Thanks,

Hugh

http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/

Dear  Senator _____________________ ,

As a teacher and parent in your district, I’d like to ask, nay beg, you to work extra hard to do what’s right for the educators in our state.  Ours is not a profession one chooses in order to get rich.  Ours is not a profession one chooses in hopes of becoming famous.  Ours is a profession filled with people who help children.  We work long, sometimes thankless hours in an attempt to make a difference in the lives of young people, as well as the future of Texas. 

We don’t have the luxury time necessary to drop what we are doing to come to Austin and let our voices be heard.  We need you and every legislator to stand up, speak for teachers and do what’s right. 

Thank you for not making a hard job even harder.

Sincerely,

Hugh H. Atkinson

4^th Grade Teacher

Moss Haven Elementary

Richardson, Texas

End of TAKS

I don't think it's big surprise to anyone that I'm not a fan of the TAKS test.  I'm all for accountability, but a flawed system is a flawed system.  That being said, here's my latest Last TAKS Year poem.


Enjoy,
Hugh

 It’s funny how sometimes,

At this time of year

I start to write poems,

Without any fear

I’ll write them with gusto,

I’ll write them with strength

I’ll write them with laughter,

I’ll write them with length

I write about people,

Of every persuasion

I write about people,

From every nation

I write and I write,

And then I write some more

I find that I write,

Sometimes when I snore

But this year’s been different,

Just a wee-little bit

I find that my writing,

Has gone straight to poop!

And I’m not sure what’s different,

I’m not sure what’s changed

Could it be that my students,

All seem quite deranged???

When you can’t take a breath,

And your mind stay at ease

Then you walk out to recess,

But you can’t feel the breeze

If you try to eat lunch,

But you can’t keep it down

And it seems that your face,

Always has a frown

Could mean that it’s time,

For a fun restful break

A nice change of our pace,

Is what we all should take

YES, after next Thursday,

Our TAKS days are through

And I’ve got a plan,

For just what we should do

We’ll each grab a bottle,

Then rush out the door

We lift them up high,

And then start to pour

A bottle with water,

Or soda is fine

But it could have some liquor,

Like vodka or wine

Whatever your passion,

Whatever your taste

You should drink it all,

And let none go to waste

But we’ll each raise a glass,

In the air let it linger

And bid farewell to TAKS,

With a raised middle finger

School Poem

About this time every year, I start writing poems and emailing them to my entire school faculty.  A few people never even open the email.  However, well more than half of my fellow teachers not only read my poems, but they tell me that they look forward to them.  I decided to post them here.


So enjoy!

Sometimes without warning, my brain starts to write,

It’s an awful compulsion, I’ve learned not to fight

So I sit at computer, or pick up a pen,

And that’s when the terrible mind games begin

From hither and yon, words pop into my mind,

And I cannot escape, I can’t leave them behind

And there are some people, and here’s what they say,

 “I wish that for me words would happen that way!”

But I tell you, my friends, it isn’t all dreamy,

With bright painted flowers, and spas that are steamy

And it isn’t carefree like our dear Dr. Suess,

With his nice dipple-dongers, or the bright schinickel-shnoose

How I wish I had bongers, or wee-willy-winkers,

And glangers and glongers or fee-filly-finkers

But those kinds of words are just too hard to find,

Cause the words that I have are regular kind

Oh sure I’ve got TAKS, and next year I’ll have STAAR,

And I know there is Lesher, Goncalves and Barr

But I need something with just a wee-bit more spice,

An old fashioned scandal, is sounding quite nice

So get out there and dig up some dirt for me please,

That’s right! Work the streets, see whose palm you can grease

For the one thing that makes my poems even odder,

Is having to write them without any fodder

Allow me to close with these words about TAKS,

There are just two more weeks, lift a glass and relax