A tribute to teachers and studentsl
Friends for Life Tobie Hoffman
In honor of 26 years of ESL teaching and memories of one student, Gift.
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I was standing in my class one day teaching reading
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And it was the day when they had their choice of any book
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On the shelf above was a book that she had never seen
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She asked if she could take it down to get a better look
She started with page i and without hesitation
Poured over it til she finished x- i- v
I said it’s not important to read the introduction
She turned the pages slowly and made it clear to me
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That there’s nothing she’d rather be doing
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Than hold it in her arms to see what it can offer
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She’ll start from the very beginning
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And it will be her friend for life
The second week she finished those Roman numerals
Announced with great excitement that she started Chapter 1
As the poets introduced themselves she grew quiet
Listening to their voices the courtship had begun——
With each sonnet and elegy these new friends shared their secrets
Shakespeare showed his loving side Cummings cracked a smile
Robert Frost explained his choice to walk a path unique to him
Emily and Adrienne lingered by her side
And there’s nothing they’d rather be doing
To hold her in their arms To see what she can offer
They’ll start from the very beginning
And they will be her friends for life
Bb F C F
Will she take the road less travelled
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Will it bring her joy or pain
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She may find love or sorrow
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She’ll do it all again
I forgot to mention This woman was from Thailand
poetry was never something she liked or understood
How much more of a miracle That in learning English
The lives of our poets had opened up her world
Chorus
And there’s nothing we’d rather be doing
To hold her in their arms To see what she can offer
We’ll start from the very beginning
And we will be her friends
She will be our friend
We will be friends for life