There’s a garden seat that Mr Korsky built
and he placed it under the gum trees
in the far corner of the schoolyard
away from the playground
and the classrooms and the canteen
and the bike racks
and the Principal’s office
and the netball goals
and the library.
It’s shady and cool here
and the grass doesn’t grow
because the trees don’t let in enough light.
Mr Korsky built the seat with old timber
and he painted it pale green,
the same colour as the trees,
and on the top rail of the seat
he carved the date he placed it in the shade
and every lunchtime
as soon as the bell rings
I race to my schoolbag for my sandwich
and I run up here and sit down
alone
and I watch everyone else
and I wish I could thank Mr Korsky
for making this seat
and for putting it here
away from the rest of the school.