Teachers teach us
two and two is four
but three is a crowd.
They teach us water is a liquid
but time is fluid.
That history is in the past
but we study it for the future.
They teach us the earth is enormous
but the world is getting smaller.
That rules are meant to be broken
but are set in stone in case we try.
We learn our answers must be right
but answering back is wrong.
We learn our work will be marked
but our clothes must not be.
We learn these things
as we wear down pencils
in exercise books.
Our teachers teach us
all they know.
So I wonder if, one day,
they’ll teach us something new.

—

If you enjoyed this and would like to support my work then please…

Illustration courtesy and copyright, Jools Wilson. See her work for children here.