Years of My Life

A Journey from 1944 to … Now

1993–94 School Year

Harmon Middle School

Sabbatical Year!

So I went on sabbatical—third one of mine!

I had won an award* and felt this was a sign

That the things I was doing were what they should be—

And so on I proceeded—and most gratefully.

It was London research that had earned the reward—

And I felt such relief that it wasn’t ignored—

All the work I had done, all the work I would do.

Oh, so far I had gone by the time I was through.

So I visited archives in college and town—

And the Chilkoot** I climbed (and I limped my way down).

And much writing to scholars—the best in the field—

And oh all of the bounties those letters did yield!

And then when the year ended I finished my book,

So I sent it away to give others a look.

And I waited at home to hear all of their views—

And I hoped for the best—for some publishing news!

*the Teacher-Scholar Award from the National Endowment for the Humanities

**the trail from Dyea, Alaska, over the mountains to Lake Bennett, Yukon Territory—the trail that figures prominently in The Call of the Wild