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First Day, instant friends.
The shock of the new, reading sentences with fal-
tering voices. Nativity play,
An excess of wise men, baby Jesus
Screaming in the front row.
Cutting and sticking, Tearing
And sculpting. Miniature works of art,
A masterpiece on smooth white paper.
Learning to count.
Growing in confidence,
Chewed up pencils and teachers,
Walking to school alone.
School discos – no dancing –
A solid wall of ignorance between genders.
Photosynthesis (and the spelling of),
Science, the world, learning about
Sex.
First day, by yourself.
So big and loud and utterly
lonely.
Everyone so purposeful and old,
You read the map upside down.
Social rules, unacceptable actions
Homework and timetables.
Maturing and growing,
Learning independence.
Safe and secure
Christmas fair and study skills
Friends who matter and will stay
A problem shared and halved, many times
Fewer subjects, Harder work
Volunteers? An aw-
kward silence. Too grown up.
Tired and fulfilled and comfortable
Learning about life.
Ella Horne
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