An odd child
the school nurse
described me in
the notebook left
open on her desk.
I knew it was true,
took it more with
pride than hurt.
Prone to poetry
and ribbons,
careful words
careless numbers,
better in a crisis
than at a party,
serious, sensitive,
a good listener,
fascinated by people
but happy alone.
I was an odd child,
grew into an odd woman.
Still like it just fine.
odd is fine =)
ReplyDeleteI think few children would consider it good to be considered 'odd,' but many adults might be happy to claim 'oddness.' Actually I think all are 'odd' in some way, and this should be celebrated.
ReplyDeleteExcellent poem, Victoria. I remember the "odd" kids in school, we moved a lot so I knew several, turned out to be the most creative, landing careers in acting, opera, artists of various venues and the brilliant ones. I always was intrigued by the "odd" kids, unlike my classmates who made fun of "odd" kids and were quite cruel. I thought the "odd" kids knew something the rest of us didn't know, that they were more evolved.
ReplyDeleteagree with ALL of the above :) .... !! Within odd, lies a certain core of truth . thank you !
ReplyDeleteAnd I for one am SO glad you are who you are and have maintained your individuality! Strange really that the nurse would write down something as subjective as "odd child." Love and hugs.
ReplyDeletePeggy, obviously the incident wouldn't have stuck in my head so if it hadn't seemed well...odd. this nurse really liked me and I liked her. I think she was writing mostly for herself, trying to figure me out. I think the day she wrote that we had been having a conversation about "The Music Man" and I must have said something that especially puzzled her. I think at that point I was both young (socially and in terms of innocence) and old (intellectually and in knowledge) for my age (8) and that made for an odd impression. I think she meant exactly what she wrote, not anything clinical.
ReplyDeleteSynonyms for odd: unusual,exceptional, extraordinary, uncommon, rare, remarkable, and so on. I would be most proud to be called odd. Victoria you are extraordinary indeed and I think you’re right, the nurse was simply trying to figure you out. It must have been a welcome challenge for her.
ReplyDelete