Bouquet

A poem in praise of a loved teacher

Miss Raisin was our teacher. She was gooder than the rest,

Though when we mentioned gooder she remarked, ‘Good – better – best!

Good is good but gooder’s bad, a word not used in school.

Remember, please, “Good – better – best”, for that’s the golden rule.’

We promised we’d remember and would not get any badder,

Though when we mentioned badder she said, ‘Badder makes me sadder,

Worse than bad is badder, it’s a word you should detest.

Remember “bad – worse – worst” and don’t forget “good – better – best”!’

We told Miss Raisin none of us were less than fond of her,

But when we mentioned were she said, ‘The word is was not were.

“None of us was less than fond” sounds better to be sure,

Since was belongs to none (or one) and were belongs to more.’

Miss Raisin, though a teacher not remembered for her glamour,

Gave us all a graphic grounding in the grind of grasping grammar

And, to sum up with a sentence in this valedictory verse,

We were better having learned from her, and none of us was worse.