Words from a Teacher's Past, 24

“Words, words, words.”

—    Hamlet (2.2)

List #5: (e) corrupt, (f) maneuver

His vile, corrupt maneuver

Caused the creep-o to be fired.

He’d tried a ruse to get her—

But such ways have now expired.

A clueless guy to make a play

In these, our time of #MeToo.

It’s better now—he’s gone away.

And I feel better—how ’bout you?

Words from a Teacher's Past, 23

“Words, words, words.”

—    Hamlet (2.2)

List #5: (c) florid, (d) coherent

His face, full florid in the heat—

His incoherent speech—

His recent hungers—yes, he loved

To eat a lowly leech—

Convinced us that he’d lost his mind—

That he was truly mad—

Had lost all the acumen that

He recently had had.

When we suggested he get “help,”

He laughed—and nearly fell.

“I don’t need help! No, what I need?

You all should go to hell!”

And so we did … it was hot …

Words from a Teacher's Past, 22

“Words, words, words.”

—    Hamlet (2.2)

List #5: (a) alacrity, (b) medieval

He leapt up with alacrity—

For he’d just seen a walking tree!

Was this some dumb medieval thing?

Or from Macbeth, that doomed old king

Who’d seen, he thought, a bunch of trees

Attacking (took him to his knees)?

Or had it come from Middle-Earth,

Where magic creatures had their birth?

No, this was just an apple tree.

It said, “Hey, Dan, please water me!”

Words from a Teacher's Past, 21

“Words, words, words.”

—    Hamlet (2.2)

List #4: (i) Shakespeare, (j) advent

So tell me, William Shakespeare, if

You like what we have done—

The plays of yours we still produce—

The tragedy, the fun?

Your advent in my younger life

Was not so welcome, true.

But now I realize I need

Your plays, your sonnets, too,

For in your lines a find much truth—

And pure humanity.

So come on by our house someday—

We’ll have a cup of tea!

Words from a Teacher's Past, 20

“Words, words, words.”

—    Hamlet (2.2)

List #4: (g) denizen, (h) aura

A shark’s a well-feared denizen

Of ocean depths, we know.

It has an aura—bloody one:

It eats us, head to toe.

But we should not be critical—

But understanding, Dudes.

For we eat fish, and for a shark

We’re just, you know, Whole Foods.

Words from a Teacher's Past, 19

“Words, words, words.”

—    Hamlet (2.2)

List #4: (e) annihilation, (f) forlorn

Don’t be forlorn—hope does exist.

Hopes can come true if you persist.

But life can fail you, as you know—

Can flood you in its overflow.

And things can never be the same—

Annihilation is its name.

But let’s forget it for a while—

And stream some Netflix on an isle.

Words from a Teacher's Past, 18

“Words, words, words.”

—    Hamlet (2.2)

List #4: (c) raze, (d) writhe

Perhaps they’ll raze your house of dreams—

While you just stand and writhe in pain.

But loss need not be what it seems:
A house of dreams can rise again.

Rebirth requires an active mind—

Requires belief in self, in hope,

In creativity—the kind

That balances a gyroscope.