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Poetry

The Ultimate Art Class Lesson I Never Expected to Learn

By No Comments2 min read
A drawing by Skendong

High School Art

In Art class at High School
Commissioned to do a painting.
I never was confident
When it came to sketching.

In the last hour, the teacher said,
“Create a watercolor.”
I queued for my brush
& looked outside.

A bright sunny day
& a cool blue sky.
On a branch of an oak tree,
Fluttered two magpies.

I dipped the bristle
In the water,
Scratched the Maya Blue.
Then started stroking
A wonderful azure.

Next came the tree,
Then the magpies.
Five minutes later,
I felt so high.

To my eye,
It was the best sketch yet.
I held up the masterpiece
& puffed out my chest.

Before all the students,
One bully quipped,
Pointing his rough finger,
He yelled, “That’s shit!”
“Do one, Buck Teeth,”
I snapped
“You ghastly prick!”

Mr. Hart screamed,
“You two girls, that’s it!
If you don’t pipe down,
Get out of my class.
& if you can’t
Change your attitude,
Don’t come back!”

I took it literally
& walked out the class.
Regrettably –
I refused to go back.

Cajoled me 3 months later
To join pottery class.
Enthusiasm buried,
& when I look back:

High school potential dented
Because of a piece of art
& the teacher, & the bully
I can’t seem to forget.

A highly abstract impressionism painting of a high school art classroom. A Black male student stands in the foreground proudly holding up his picture - Skendong

another poem by Skendong: sprawling shells on the high school playground

Further Reading: ‘I was terrible at drawing’: Helen Cammock, the social worker who became a Turner prize nominee

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