Years of My Life

A Journey from 1944 to … Now

1978-79 School Year

We moved to Illinois that year—

Lake Forest College, where we’d teach,

But I would realize (oh dear!)

I’d made a kind of overreach.

Oh, I could do it—be a prof.

But I missed middle school—a lot.

I really did (so please don’t scoff).

So I resigned without a thought

Of having somewhere else to go.

I’d get a job! What could go wrong?

And so I did—though not much dough—

A private school … would I belong?

Western Reserve Academy—

Back in Ohio once again.

It wasn’t where I wished to be—

That was Aurora, where I’d been.

But I enjoyed my classroom time—

The coaching (tennis!), teaching, too.

Oh, I was sure! And in my prime!

But, boy, was there a lot to do!

I’d started writing essays then—

And placing them, well, here and there.

It was a way I could begin

To make a mark—and not in air.