My house in Toronto’s east end is surrounded by schools. There are at least 5 within 5 minutes walking distance, plus another 5 within 15 minutes. A couple of the buildings remind me of the schools I went to in Sydney. 1920’s functional with a bit of actual design work around entrances & windows.
The end of the school year always being back memories of anticipating summer. Sitting in class rooms fidgeting with nothing to do – final exams were over, no more lessons to be taught, waiting for reports cards to be filled in the given out. I don’t even know if report cards exist anymore. Back int he day we had to take them home for parents sign during the year. I may have one of my old ones hidden somewhere in my archives.
I was always an average student. Fairly obedient, rarely got into trouble, so deportment was good. But I had attention problems. Also I had spelling issues, which in looking back was a mild dyslexia. One summer I had to spend an hour or so every day writing out words – spelling them each ten times – so I could take that spelling exams once more to see if I could pass into the next grade.
I went to four schools – Colby Elementary, Ashby Middle School, Woodhill Junior High, Sydney Academy High-School. Only the Academy is still standing. Colby was replaced with a big tin box, Ashby burned down mysteriously & was replaced by a big tin box; Woodhill became a community centre for decades & was finally torn down for a housing complex.
As much as I was eager for summer I dreaded that final report card – would my marks be good enough to get my reward: a new bicycle, cash. One year they weren’t & I was so demoralized I was afraid to go home & not get my reward. One year I did get that bicycle but not the one I wanted 🙂
Out of Control
in control or out of control
which gives the better result
which can lead to where
control is too hard to relinquish
expectations drive dreams goals
can someone with control issues
get out of control
with the need to control
hold on too tight
or drop everything too suddenly
relax into a puddle
even a puddle is controlled
by gravity
free fall isn’t free
free form still has form
is the goal to be shapeless
uncontainable
is that destruction
anarchy
aimless directionlessness
still has points of reference
that pull to the norm
can the norm be out of control
who imposes that structure
who gets to be responsible
while the rest
are wild and free
is there actual energy
in being out of control
doing nothing takes no energy
realize float down stream
the stream has the control
the surrender is to another’s control
even when out of control
someone does the doing
what is ‘out’
what is ‘control’
who is the object of these definitions
of these structures
even light need dark to exist
every Tuesday 2019
July
Stratford Festival – Nathan The Wise
August 2-13: getting back to my roots in Cape Breton 
August 8: Highland Arts Theatre: https://www.highlandartstheatre.com
Hey! Now you can give me $$$ to defray blog fees & buy coffee on my trip to Cape Breton – sweet,eh? paypal.me/TOpoet
September
Shaw Festival – Sex (Mae West)
Stratford Festival – Little Shop Of Horrors 
June – Capturing Fire 2020 – Washington D.C. 
capfireslam.org
Hey! Or you can give me $$$ to defray blog fees & buy coffee in Washington at 2020’s capfireslam.org – sweet, eh? paypal.me/TOpoet
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