To School We Go

School!

I don’t remember my first day at school

But I’m sure my sister Gertie took me

Holding tight to my hand as our mother

Told her to as we walked from

Ballindrait to Murlog School

 

My husband Fran used to smile

When he told me about his first days

In the small school at the bottom of

The Ballycolman Lane in Strabane I think he said

And Sister Mary McTilll

 

I remember taking each of our three sons to

Their first day at school

Giles left Eileen and Anne’s careful care in pre-school

In Melvin Hall.

He had been there for 2 years because of the way

His birth date fell

Richard had gone to play school too

Under Elizabeth Blee’s tender hand and the team in

St Mary’s School

And then it was our son Ross’s turn to go

He had gone to Ballycolman Nursery

He still recalls his days there with fond memories

 

The youngest of the three

He was the last one to go to school

I remember walking up the Melmount Road

Holding tightly to his hand

I knew it probably was me that was going to

Need comforting as I stood outside the

Classroom clutching my camera

Asking to be let in to take a photo

Of his first day at school

 

And then in no time it seemed it was our grandchildrens’turn

The morning of the first day or that evening after school

They proudly came to show Granny and Granda

Their new school uniforms

And their amazing new schoolbags full of wonderful pencils, books

And their favorite toy that linked them with home

In case they’d feel lonely

 

And now it’s 2020 and it’s our

Great granddaughter little Maddie turn

 

I think what I’m trying to say is

Our worries and our fears inside our heads

Grow and multiply

Will they be bullied?

Will the teachers be kind and understand their wee funny ways

 

This year there is an extra fear

Despite the reassuring words

The hovering fear of Covit 19

Crowd our minds

 

It’s hard to let go of their hand

Their first’ test’ to pass the temperature probe

Will they pass or will they fail?

The closest thing to our hearts

Our children

 

Gemma Hill 2020