I know, really know
what it's like to be
the new kid in school
eight first days
in eight different places
If I was lucky
the school was filled with
military BRATs like me
so we were all new
or almost-new
knowing we would
only be together
for a short while
and totally fine with that
But sometimes
I was the only
world traveler
explaining to my classmates
what continents are
wondering why we
were being taught what
I already knew
learned from a system that
was always one step ahead
Eight times new
eight times looking
for the familiar
in a place never seen before
almost always finding it
in the library.
New kids at your school are lucky to meet you because you get just how they feel. And you remind me of the magic of the library!
ReplyDeleteSally,I hope they feel the connection; thank you!
DeleteAh, the safety of the library. I think so many of us find solace in the familiarity of that space in the midst of newness. I love how you put this together; your repetition is delightful.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Amyilene. I do strive to make the library a safe space for everyone.
DeleteThat last line packs such a punch! Until then, I was filled with sorrow for your "almost always finding it," which meant there were times, then that you didn't. But the completion of this thought feels triumphant because it means that your could rely on the library and sometimes you didn't have to.
ReplyDeleteSuch an insightful comment, Morgan! Yes, the library was less important when I felt "at home" with my classmates--usually on or near a military base.
DeleteThat's a lot for a child, yet there are inherent gifts in so many moves, too - firsthand knowledge and experience of the world. Your lines really bring that to the forefront. My husband was an Army BRAT also - it brings a whole set of survival tools and coping skills. Then - BAM! - that final line of almost always finding your place of belonging in the library. Incredibly powerful. Although lived in the same house throughout my K-12 education and never switched schools except for transitions to middle and high, I almost always felt at home in the library as well. That you should have become the librarian...an amazing story, Chris!
ReplyDeleteThere were so many other signs, too, Fran, that I missed along the way. "Checking out" books to my friends, library aide, library club...I'm surprised it took me so long to find my place in the stacks. I hope your husband finds a way to record his memories as a third-culture-kid.
DeleteOh, the magic, the solace, the safety of the library. It's been a refuge for me through the years. I totally get why you became a librarian.
ReplyDeleteIt can be the safest place in a school, don't you think, Ramona? Someone likened librarians as the "aunties" of the campus; I like that moniker!
Delete