My Students

This is a poem by a 2nd year TFA-er at my school; it's not one of mine.

My Students
Yes, he is one of mine
And that one too
The one who is always cussing at you
The runaway
The punk
The troublemaker
The thug
You have the nerve to tell me you think he is on drugs
Yes, my students are assholes and dicks
But you once called him a son of a bitch
They frustrate, they disrupt, the drive you up walls
They are the reason your classroom management is balls
But he is one of mine
It’s my job to love him
To hold him, to praise him and to hug him
Because no one else puts up with his shit
But he’s not an asshole to me so I don’t mind a bit
It’s just a shame that you can’t get him to learn
Because he’s got a brain inside there, and a heart
It’s only because his mom died, it was torn apart
And it was hard for him to understand
Why his dad was in jail and not holding his hand
He acts out to get attention
There are like 12 other siblings in his grandmother’s basement
Oh yes, he’s mine and look at me, I am so “patient”
Just cuz I have the common sense not to drive this kid apeshit
Don’t get pissed off when I say “He’s fine.”
As if that would take intervention from the divine
You are scared to have him in your class, kids may get hurt
I’m sorry, I thought YOU were the adult
Try handling his life and you may find
That it’s not so bad when he talks out of line
Maybe I have a soft spot for emotionally disabled
But nothing in this kids life has ever been stable
So we eat lunch and then we talk
He calms down and smiles when we take a walk
This kid is sweet!
Fuck you for saying he’ll wind up on the street
So ya, he is one of mine
And I’ll take him in
Because as soon as he enters YOUR classroom the shit-show begins
But I think he is the shit
When he puts on a show
And raps for me
A rhyme that he wrote
Just cuz he’s mine
Doesn’t mean he’s not yours too
And maybe if your classroom
WASN’T a zoo
You could see how much this kid rocks
Sporting a pair of mismatching socks
He melts my heart when he brings me flowers
And I swear his smile has super powers
He’s a champ
He’s a doll
He’s my fucking hero
For still trying at life as he receives zero
Yup, he’s one of mine
And I’ll take him.