Natural History

Cherry

By Philip Sidney

Thu, 28 Aug 2014
  • 3402 reads
17 comments
 

In the history of school,

Class 5 was the happiest.

 

Outside swan plants grew -

we gave them sidelong glances,

hope was brewing.

 

A race through times tables

made the hands of the clock spin, to playtime.

Special days were marked in red,

but not the day of the eggs.

 

Caterpillars unfurled from tiny cavities,

miniscule mouths sucked on sweet milky sap.

Feel one move across your skin,

cold muscle sways back to the plant,

can it smell its sweetness?

 

Teacher and class complicit.

Plants, stripped of foliage and larvae,

Desks, containers for

balls of paper, pencil sharpenings,

now conceal a tiger-striped miracle.

Can it hear the teacher droning?

 

We are like these caterpillars,

silent, with our heads on hard wood,

breathing in the scent of varnish.

We watch numbers dance in our heads,

make them go wherever we like,

lead pressed deep into soft paper,

the embossed answer, wrong.

 

Teacher plays the ukulele,

we clap and sing,

even the numbers keep time.

Caterpillars eat their plants,

listen and fasten themselves, beneath the lid,

in the dark cave,

amongst old rubbers, snapped rulers, sandwich wrappings,

they become something else.

 

Pupils and pupae sit in rows,

still and meditative as we change.

We believe the myths,

we know beautiful monsters

transform just below the surface.

Look at the picture of a queen on the wall,

lift the lid of your desk , to find a butterfly,

newly made.

Watch it unfold its wings, flaunting its perfection.

 

Let it fasten its tiny feet to your finger.

Sit at the open window,

there are more important lessons to learn,

until,

one by one,

each takes its first flight,

from the dark into light,

released into their world,

joyful orange and black confetti across blue sky.

These are monarchs we understand.

 

 

Certificate U
Poem

Comments

Submitted by Bee on

Loved this, Philip. The opening two lines are fantastic - '

In the history of school,

Class 5 was the happiest.' - like to a child, there was only ever one school.

'Outside swan plants grew -

we gave them sidelong glances,

hope was brewing.' - that's lovely, and the racing through timetables making the clock hands spin to playtime. 

There are so many special details, like the teacher playing the ukulele and everyone / thing keeping time whilst everybody's metamorphosis continued - 

'Pupils and pupae sit in rows,

still and meditative as we change.' - wonderful.

The ending is beautiful.

 

Bee

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thank you so much Bee. I'm glad it's not too obscure. I was remembering how we used to hatch monarch butterflies in our desks at school. Thanks for your close reading.

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

This is a nostalgic poem that I adored,  especially loved the stanza:-

We are like these caterpillars,

silent,  with our heads on hard wood,

breathing in the scent of varnish.

We watch numbers dance in our heads,

make them go wherever we like,

lead pressed deep into soft paper,

the embossed answer,  wrong.

Very much enjoyed reading.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thank you so uch Jenny!

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Sorry, I I lost the m, Jenny.

Submitted by celticman on

A triumph that soars and flies.

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thank you so much cetlicman, how lovely.

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Do you live in America then? Pupils and pupae sit in rows - clever! Seems a teasing mix of the lifecycle of the butterfly and the children's memories of the long summers at school! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thanks Rhiannonw.  No, I live in Birmingham UK, but my childhood was in New Zealand, where monarch butterflies are fairly common.  One of my daughters lives in New England, so I do go to the US every now and again.

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Philip

What an enjoyable read. I loved the way you saw things threw the eyes of the child in class 5.

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thank you so much Jean, the child in me is still near the surface.

Submitted by Geoff Smith on

Philip - I think this is great  - again.

I loved: Pupils and pupae sit in rows - because I am a sucker for a bit of comic wordplay. The line made me smile - which is a good thing. Your endings are always brilliant. I love the deliberate ambiguity of 'These are Monarchs we understand.'

I think perhaps stanza 5 is the weakest link. I think the language choices here create a slightly cynical tone that is dissonnant with the incredulous wonder you create.

Thanks for reading. I am grateful for your time.

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thank you Jasper, and thanks for your advice on stanza 5 - is it the word 'droning',  I wanted the idea of a child wondering if the caterpillar could hear the lesson. maybe the word 'complicit' too?  I'll have a think.

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Great poem, Philip.  Well deserving of its accoladessmiley

Tina

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thank you Tina!

Submitted by scratch on

First of you poetry pieces for me.  What can I say?  I love it.

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thank you so much Scratch!