there’s this poem I read in childhood
about looking up to oneself in all things
I remember the principal telling us boys
while interpreting the poem
that people who never intend helping you financially
always say “Oh, I just gave out my money to X”
“I would have helped if you asked earlier.”
we giggled, thinking it was a funny tale he told
little did we know many of us will relive his story
times without number
as if a constant reminder
to learn to be there for ourselves
and never look to any human
I remember the many times the principal
organized singing lessons for us
we made noise to distract the old man’s mission
little did we know how comforting years down the line we shall find the silly hymns the old man used to teach us
words said into young ears indeed  take years to reach them