MYSELF

Mr. WOOD

My father taught his own children with poetry. I'm sure his hundreds of students all heard his poetic lessons too. He never went anyplace without a book to read or a card in his pocket with a gem to memorize. He would recite poems with moral messages to his children when ever there was a need or a teaching moment.

As a teenager I would pretend not to listen. Once as an adult I quoted to him, one of his poems. He was so glad to hear it. He said with much pleasure "You were listening."

One of his favorites or is it my favorite?

MYSELF
by Edgar A. Guest

I have to live with myself, and so
I want to be fit for myself to know,
I want to be able, as days go by,
Always to look myself straight in the eye;
I don't want to stand, with the setting sun,
And hate myself for the things I have done.

I don't want to keep on a closet shelf
A lot of secrets about myself,
And fool myself, as I come and go,
Into thinking that nobody else will know
The kind of a man I really am;
I don't want to dress up myself in sham.

I want to go out with my head erect,
I want to deserve all men's respect;
But here in the struggle for fame and pelf
I want to be able to like myself.
I don't want to look at myself and know
That I'm bluster and bluff and empty show.

I can never hide myself from me;
I see what others may never see;
I know what others may never know,
I never can fool myself, and so,
Whatever happens, I want to be
Self-respecting and conscience free.

Mr. Wood's 5th grade class, 1952 - Monroe School, Granger, Utah

Kirt D. WOOD taught for 30 years. The first couple years were at Monroe in the 5th grade. Then many years in Granger Elementary's 6th grade. When the Principal Mr. Holmes moved to Twin Peaks Elementary, Mr. Wood followed him there.