So, at this time of year, my poem The Full Stop Day takes off as teachers get ready to say goodbye to their classes and children prepare themselves for the next stage of their lives. You can read more about the poem here.
But to cut a longish story short, The Full Stop Day was inspired by missing that emotion-drenched final day after I'd left teaching, and more so, by missing my own #FullStopDay when I was at primary school because of illness.
So this week, that #FullStopDay story took another twist. I was driving into work when the headmaster called. I pulled over to be told that our Year 6 bubble had to close; there was a positive Covid case. I thought of all the wonderful children I'd not say goodbye to or ever share a class with again.
You see, due to our old school being demolished over summer, we are breaking up early. So Year 6's final week was abruptly ended. What a sad way to finish your wonder years at primary school. The children were upset. The teachers were upset. Yet another final #FullStopDay missed in unhappy circumstances for me.
So I wrote a poem. It is dedicated to every child in Year 6 and every other child who may have to go through something similar.
Memories, like burst bubbles, may have passed. But it doesn't mean they've gone for good!
Burst Bubbles
Bubble burst
Yesterday
No last week
No last day
Bubble burst
Yesterday
No last laugh
No last say
Bubble Burst
Yesterday
No last chase
No last play
Bubble burst
Yesterday
Primary school
Washed away
Bubbles burst
No big deal
No one’s hurt
Hours heal
Blow another
Memory orb
Moment forged
Mind-absorbed
Blow a billion
Bubbles blessed
Burst the bad
Chase the rest
Floating seconds
Minutes splayed
Some will pop
Some will fade
Brilliant bubbles
Pop again
Flashback-bangs
Burst in brains
A bubble blown
Does not stop
A memory made
Does not pop
Mark Bird 2021
Photo by Drew Beamer on Unsplash