Poet's Corner
Awaiting the School Bus
by Gittle Gutmann

We stand together, mother and son,
At long last this day has come,
His little eyes a-sparkle, excitement mounts,
Apprehensive and unsure, each moment counts.
"Will it be yellow? And big?" -- to make an impression.
"Will there be a teacher on board?" -- my nervous question.
Still not used to the new route, today it's running late,
Giving me time to ponder as we stand around and wait.
Reflecting on the past, my nerves give way to joy,
Visualizing myself with my newborn baby boy.
Slowly he developed and grew with so much help from above,
Investments of time and effort, prayers and love.
Each stage forming his character, molding his personality,
"The school bus is here!" I jolt back to reality.
I am really joining all those mothers who wait each morning,
And he's joining the world of schoolchildren and Torah learning.
I feel a mixture of thrill and fear as he clambers on,
A slam, a lurch, a billow of smoke -- and its gone.
A prayer springs forth from deep within my heart,
"Please, Hashem, help him get off to a successful start.
Instill within him a love of Torah and of learning,
To become a true talmid chochom -- his only yearning!"

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