Better You Than Me

“Better you than me,” I said frequently

to the teacher one door over from me.

“Who would want to read so may essays,

or ask young teens to write every day?”

“It’s rewarding to guide them to attain

clear communication of thoughts in their brains,”

she always patiently explained. “Anyhow

better you than me,” she would then avow.

“Who would want to take preteen kids each year

to outdoor school about the biosphere?”

“It’s my favorite week!” came my quick retort.

“It’s engaging curricular support

in an amazing environmental

educational outdoor adventure!”

We would laugh and agree to disagree,

each quite secure in our own career.

Now, several years away from those days

of friendly banter and repartee,

I find myself where I must concede

she was correct in conclusion and creed:

It is rewarding to help teens attain

clear communication of thoughts in their brains!

Now I have found a position that’s great,

the best of both sides of the debate:

Teaching teens to improve their written skills,

requiring redrafts, their thoughts to distill.

With the best kind of trip scheduled each fall

(enticing me to stay for a long haul)

it’s an amazing environmental

educational outdoor adventure!