The E Word

Playground duty was getting quite dull
When Carlos gave my sleeve a pull.
“That kid over there said the e word,” he cried.
“Hon, I don’t know such a word,” I replied.
Startled, he looked up like I was a nut—
“Don’t you know that he called me an e-diot?”

Now I know there are days you can lose your mind,
But who has a job that is better than mine?

Excerpted from “Who Has a Job That Is Better Than Mine?” by Karen Morrow Durica, from her book How We Do School: Poems to Encourage Teacher Reflection. International Reading Association: 2007.

That reminds me of a lot of kids I've known over the years.