Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Spongebob Squarepants ..and the "I'll see you in September" song...






                                                                                               






                           

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
Today we are asked to write about returning to school...it is right around the corner again already. Such a broad subject. I started with a serious theme but a different idea emerged as I was writing. See what others come up with over at dversepoets.com  




Young sponges 
absorb everything around them -
stimulated by their environment,
are fed stories early in life
Kindergarten has them playing
with crayons, building blocks 
They play on the swing 
and merry-go-round


At the next rudimentary level 
they soak up geography, math, 
emphasis on reading
Curious, eager and thirsty, 
they take home work to study
They do all the prep work, 
hone their skills
to get passing grades, 
to 'get somewhere', 
Their world expands beyond the classroom 
they decide which path to take,
discover who they are
That knowledge gained, 
life ought be that much more manageable 
later, one would think

But the longest learning curve 
is maturity, notwithstanding 
peer pressure, daydreaming,
and one's still growing brain
Social life becomes the light 
that shines through
Young sponges take in music and sports, 
write term papers,
find what interests them most 
They become educated about 
the opposite sex -
no lessons on family planning, 
raising children, those sudden feelings 
they experience, 
hormones urging them to explore 
that part of themselves
Teen sponges 
emulate upperclassmen 
For me, it was their hairstyles, 
full circles skirts, sweaters 
and saddle shoes they wore 
We idolized cheerleaders, 
honor students, 

husky football players  
We loved summer vacations,
but, oh, those Septembers were sweet!

Young adult sponges can become 

waterlogged, which causes 
risky behavior
They need to learn to float
before it is too late, 
Sometimes this means 
some form of rebellion;
they might join the military,
drop out, or fight for a cause -
some go straight to work
Full of language and equations,
they are equipped for college
They become rulers of their domain
while their earliest imprints 
are sometimes trampled on,
tested or.. possibly they can be enhanced
No one knows the odds 
or chances of survival as they 
tip and falter for a a time
They are squeezed by perceived
unrealistic expectations
They are still children
when it comes to their frontal lobes

Their character formed,
talents defined, young adult sponges
advance to college,
into adulthood,
learn accountability
The school of life takes on w
worldly meanings
Students choose to follow a star,
find their passion or bliss  

The energy filled sponges find jobs,

live in a world ever changing,
no longer able to absorb
as they once did

They filter information and events
at their own discretion,
discard what they don't need
They find chance and circumstance 

can crash their domain
Moments of joy are interspersed 
with pockets of sorrow,
unresolved issues,
and black holes of the unknown
They develop pot-marks 
and rough edges,
as they continue to strive and create,
pursue their dreams
Success, however, 
is undetermined at this point 
in a sponge's life
Hopefully they learn to love 
and understand:


         Amid the thrills 
         of discovering and learning,
         elements of faith and hope 
         are involved
         Before life wears one down,
         or one runs out of steam
         what book will they write
         before they graduate 
         from this life?







13 comments:

  1. Very interesting analogy with sponges and school goes lifelong - I have also taken similar adaptation. Quite a saga you created here.

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  2. clever write... thanks for taking us through some stages we won't soon forget

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  3. I am amazed when I see some young children absorb so many things, so quickly. The human brain is a complex and wonderful thing that can write its own book.

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  4. The way we once were sponges.. maybe it's not lack of water that makes it harder to absorb new things.. but that we are waterlogged... how should we ever manage to revitalize that sponge.?

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  5. Character education is hugely important and can be included in most any subject. In Algebra I talk about relationships, communication, smart choices, cooperation...it can be done. They do soak up whatever they are taught so it is vitally important the integrity of those doing the teaching. Trial and error is def not the best way to learn some things.

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  6. I agree some of the most influencial people in my life have been teachers - and not so much the subject they taught but what they taught me with how they cared beyond the classroom. It is a beautiful thing as well to see students years later and see what they have made of themselves. And even when they remember you.

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  7. I appreciate the learning at each stage from kindergarten to college ~ And I hope that we never forget that learning goes on and on and that we must be sponges and try to absorb much of the world ~ It would be interesting to see and read what book it will be ~

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  8. i love the analogy with sponges...the young minds do absorb everything that interests them...

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  9. that made me smile... cool how you compare them to sponges who soak up things eagerly and with all the ups and downs as well.. isn't it exciting to go through all those stages

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  10. You've shared not only the back to the school but have given a relatively thorough history of the whole schooling experience! Smiles.

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  11. A saga indeed, a sponge novella; what fun, a great ride. Only thing missing is the creation of new little sponges, & the continuation of the cycle.

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  12. A sponge can hold much water..
    float forever
    on rivers
    that move..
    connect
    to oceans
    creating more..
    but a sponge
    that stills
    in one
    sink
    of
    dirty
    water
    grows
    old with
    mold before
    ever truly creating more
    absorbing ocean
    instead
    of just
    one behavioral
    sink.. and yeah..
    there's even a
    link for
    THAT..
    smiles..
    "Behavioral
    Sink" on
    Google..
    ARE we
    rats or
    humans..
    jury
    hung
    still
    on THAT
    chances
    are both
    and
    lesson
    learning
    moving
    connecting
    creating
    away from
    sinks of US..:)

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All comments, constructive and otherwise, are welcome and appreciated here. Thank you to those who show an interest in my quirky style of writing, photography, painting, and presenting a feeling or thought and for stopping by A Dwelling by the Sea..