I am a teacher

I stand alone everyday,
encouraging some through smiles and praise,
often wiping tears away.
I am expected to be mother, father, minister,
policeman, social worker, psychiatrist and more
But, that's not the half of what
my profession has in store.
I am often the first one criticized
and the last one praised,
My motivation is from the inner,
obviously, not from my pay.
For I live in a system where educational
investment appears to come last
but each new day finds me swamped
with more tasks
It appears easier to pay parole officers
and build more jails
than heed lessons, by, now, we should
know so well
I wish more than anything all
problems I could solve
the desire is always with me,
it's carved in my heart
I wish I could work miracles
with each child I teach;
the abused, the homeless, the addicted,
the brilliant, the physically challenged, - the weak
Yet, I know I'm not the only villain
when "Johnny does not succeed"
it's about working together, it's a society thing
But until I find all the answers or
I'm joined by more in this battle
I will keep on struggling
because every child does matter
And to those who question my dedication and
the fact that my job's a hard task,
I would like to have them try it and
observe how long they would last.
I guess my greatest shortcoming
and what I want others to see
is that I am only human, Oh -- I can't be.
by S. Angela Bynum
Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!