Daddy called his car
My Fair Lady.
Mama never had a car.
Gran told Mama
she could take us
to school every day
if Mama needed her to,
but Mama said
no, thank you.
She’d teach us herself
for a while.
Mostly she just leaves
worksheets on the table
and then forgets to ask
if we did them.
It’s not right, those kids
not getting school learning,
Gran says.
I don’t mind so much,
not going to school.
I never liked it anyhow.
But Charlie, she goes looking
when she’s done.
I don’t want to get behind
for when we go
back, she says.
I hope we never
go back to school.
You’re crazy, I say when she’s
stacked more sheets on top of
the ones Mama left us.
Least I won’t be dumb, she says.
Charlie has these really blue eyes,
like a clear winter sky.
My daddy had those eyes,
and they’d dance when he was
laughing and when he raged, too,
so we never knew
which one we’d get.
Will I be dumb
if I don’t go to school?
change my mind.
I still don’t want to go.