Matthew Murrey

The Lessons

 
They are crying in class.
Days of copper.  Nights of ice.
The sound of a jet plane
touches a nerve.  If you can,
you’ll remember that genie
is out of the bottle.  “Why
them?  Why me?”  Every month
has its cruelties; I could
make a calendar out of blood
and gristle.  But September? 
Ah, green going yellow, brighter
stars, and a few birds already
on their way.  Month of lessons. 
Days of counting.  Nights of
forgetting.  Back to work. 
Back to school.  You’ll learn.

Matthew Murrey is a recently retired high school librarian in Urbana, IL.. His debut book of poems, Bulletproof, was published in 2019 by Jacar Press. He’s had poems recently published Under a Warm Green Linden, The Shore, and Moist Poetry Journal. He and his partner have two grown sons. His website is at https://www.matthewmurrey.net.