Emma Philbrook: STUDENT LIFE

I’m getting to be a “short-timer” –

At least that’s what my grandmother says.

That means, were I to use both my hands and my toes,

I could count the school days I have left.

That number’s 19 as of Monday –

Nineteen days of high school remain!

Nineteen mornings of dragging myself out of bed

With the fog of sleep still in my brain.

Eighteen hurried cold-cereal breakfasts

And one student parking-lot brunch

Eighteen ‘leventh-hour dashes to reach school on time –

‘Cuz on the last day, what’s the rush?

Three Mondays, four Tuesdays, four Wednesdays,

Four Thursdays, four Fridays, and poof!

My time here at Waitsburg School District is up

And I’ll have a diploma for proof.

My college stuff’s mostly in order

I think all the forms are sent in

My scholarships have all been stamped and mailed out,

In the hope that li’l old me might win.

So there’s nothing to do but plan parties

And write my val’dict’ry address

And mail invitations to my graduation

To people Mom wants to impress.

And clean out my two bulging lockers

And make sure my forms are complete

And scour the Internet, Macy’s, and Sears

For some extra-long twin flannel sheets.

And study real hard for my finals

To keep my grades high to the last

And find time the evening of Senior Supper

To make some brunch thing for my class.

And return all the books that I’ve borrowed

(A stagg’ring amount, to be sure)

And keep my silver graduation robe safe

From being covered with shed tabby fur.

And write thank-you notes to the people

Who’ve helped me out along the way

(There’s so many that if I wrote day and night,

It’d still take me the whole month of May.)

And – oh, yeah – keep up with my homework!

Because school’s in for 19 more days!

Just because graduation’s approaching real fast,

I can’t change my studious ways!

My grandma says I’m a “short-timer” –

I certainly can’t disagree.

But what will end first – my sanity, or school?

(Tune in in 19 days to see…)