Junior Words, 21

A High School Teacher’s Final List

List #5: (a) nether, (b) erudite

From nether regions IT emerged

To try set the bent world right.

And though I’m not so erudite,

I realized that we’d be scourged—

Yes, beaten with a horsehide whip

For all we’ve done—yes, each to each.

Yes, IT had something stark to teach:

“If you are mean, your skin I’ll strip!”

“That sounds so mean!”—that’s what we said,
And IT seemed puzzled, as if he
Had just now solved a mystery.
IT said, “I’m sorry!”—then dropped dead.