[Critique Group 2] Leonard's comments on Alice's sub

Mon Aug 30 13:45:34 EDT 2021

poem byAlice Jane-Marie Massa

 This is a poem of the struggle toadjust to the reality  ofretirement.   

The author struggles with  what to dowith her need to lead.  

She knows she has to let go, 

but can’t separate her identity  from being a teacher, 

which puts her in the role of a leader. 

However, one does not retire on a Friday,

and give up a  lifetime of  teaching or leading.   

It is a process. 

She recognizes that she has also been afollower. 

Her dogs are the primary example of  being a follower.  

Nevertheless, she suspects that  in the end, 

when she gets retirement down, 

she will lead in teaching others how todo it.  

I must admit, this piece speaks tome.  

I was a leader in my field.  

It took me over  15 years of retirement before I reallyretired. 

Yet, I have not given up a leadershiprole.   

When I do, I don’t know what will be leftof me. 

as I suspect the writer of this poemdoes.

I am learning

to retire from teaching.

I must confess

that, to me, retirement 

is a process:

retirement does not really happen

on one day, at one hour, or in one minute.

All that led to this career of years ofteaching

must be unwound.

I have found

that I miss the students, the hours, themarking of time

by semesters, classes, and school years.

Now I am learning to mark time by retirementyears:

first year, second year, ... 

on this new stage that too many people fear.

Do you think I am learning not to lead?

Am I learning to step aside, to sit back, toavoid speaking up?

Down the road, this will all be easier. Right?

I am left with all these memories 

of leading,

of liking to lead.

Didn’t I even lead in ballroom dancing in sixthgrade?

Now, I have to learn this retirement dance orfade.

Perhaps, what I need is a Flamenco outfit

(with lots of ruffles and beading)

so that I can fit better into this retirementmold 

of not leading.

Leader Dog Zoe reminded me

that I have been successfully and properly

following her, Heather, and Keller

for 23 years—46 semesters plus 22 summers.

“That’s a lot of practice 

at letting us be in the lead,” Zoe said.

Of course, she is right; and I pat her prettyhead.

Nevertheless, I guess, she usually knows mystress.

One stumbling block of this learning process

is that I was born a teacher.

When I arrived in this world,

Doctor Loving quipped,

“One more—just like the other.”

Did he prophetically know that I was

one more teacher—just like my older sister?

My parents—a postmaster and a firefighter—

gave birth to two teachers.

My father nailed a chalkboard

to the knotty-pine wall

where my sister taught me,

and I taught my dolls and dogs.

Our models were those magnificent teachers

at Jacksonville Grade School,

but they never taught us how to retire.

Yes, I have always been a teacher—

in and out of the classroom,

behind or away from my beloved podium.

Whatever I know or have learned,

I am truly compelled to share.

So, when I learn how to retire from teaching, Ideclare:

I will teach you how to retire—without a care. 

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PAW-note:  In this poem, I mentioneach of my first three guide dogs who have blessed my life.  On March 21,1990, Keller, a gorgeous golden retriever, became my first guide dog. Happily, Yellow Labrador Heather, my second Leader Dog, came into my life onApril 15, 1998.  On June 6 of 2009, Leader Dog Zoe--my outstanding blackLabrador/golden retriever mix--was the guide dog I was following, appreciating,and loving when I wrote this poem.  After Zoe, Leader Dog Willow became animportant part of my life on June 7, 2016.  Each of these four gifted 

guide dogs continue t

Hello!  Group 2 writer friends--Although I am including an introductionto the poem, you may just comment on the poem if you wish.

Until next week--Alice

* * *

RetirementReflections and Rhymes

By AliceJane-Marie Massa

               Amazingly, this summer marks ten years since I retired from full-timeteaching.  Where has this one decade gone?  How has it moved by sorapidly?  My Leader Dog Willow and I keep busy:  sometimes, I wish Iwere not quite so busy.  

               My sister, who is three years older than I, just retired from her teachingcareer only one year ago.  Of course, I say that she taught those nineadditional years because her pre-kindergarteners did not write documentedessays--term papers.  Stacks of which I graded over many years.

               On the retirement stage of life, I turned to other interests.  Besidestrying to walk four miles a day with Zoe and then Willow, one of my favoritepast times--as you may guess--is writing.  Occasionally, I do wonder whatI would be doing in these retirement years if I were not a writer andpoet.  Writing is a wonderful avocation for a retired person.  Beingactive in writers’ organizations and participating in critique groups, as wellas having deadlines to meet, keep me in touch with other people, as well askeep me in tune with the calendar and with weekly and long-term goals. Some highlights of this first decade of retirement have been blogging foreight-and-a-half years, having published my book THE CHRISTMAS CARRIAGE ANDOTHER WRITINGS  OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON (still available through Amazon,BARD, and Audio and Braille Literacy Enhancement), and distributing almost 150posters on which is printed my poem “A Guide Dog’s Prayer to Saint Francis ofAssisi” and which features photos of each of my four Leader Dogs.  

               Leader Dogs Keller and Heather were with me during my teaching years. Zoe, my third Leader Dog, was the bridge because she was at my side for myfinal two years of teaching at Milwaukee Area Technical College and was also atmy side for my earlier years of retirement.  My current Leader Dog,Willow, has only known my retirement life; nevertheless, with our living in adowntown area in a large city, she has a challenging, varied, and rewardingworking life as a guide dog.  My British Black Labrador brightens each dayof my retired years!

               When I retired a decade ago, no thought was given to any situation likeCOVID.  On the other hand, when my sister taught her final classes in Mayof 2020, she saw her very young students only via Zoom.  Although retiringmidst COVID presents some different challenges, when I read over the followingpoem which I wrote less than two years after I retired, I feel fairly much thesame way as I did in 2013.  While my perspective on retirement may nothave changed much, my age does have a way of adding a candle to the birthdaycake each year.  Having been away from the classroom for ten years, I domiss my students and teaching less than I did the first few years on thisretirement stage.  Before I pull the curtain up on the second decade of myretirement stage, I hope you will enjoy this poetic glimpse of retirement fromMarch 2, 2013, when my WORDWALK blog was only two months old.  

* * *

Learningto Retire from Teaching

(Touchesof Humor Have Been Assigned)

poem byAlice Jane-Marie Massa

I am learning