My friend Melanie Howard posted a link to this poem on her facebook page. I clicked it because she usually posts good things, and so I would give it a try. The poem brought a huge smile to my face! I think I may need to print this an post it on the door of my office to head off the proverbial “did I miss anything?” question after a student oversleeps, or has something better to do than attend class. So I don’t get into copyright trouble, I’ll include the opening and closing stanzas. Just click the link above for the whole thing. (On a side note, the idea of a poem a day for the 180 days of school seems like a pretty cool thing.)

Did I Miss Anything?

Tom Wayman

Nothing. When we realized you weren’t here
we sat with our hands folded on our desks
in silence, for the full two hours

…

Everything. Contained in this classroom
is a microcosm of human experience
assembled for you to query and examine and ponder
This is not the only place such an opportunity has been
gatheredbut it was one place

And you weren’t here