Dr Green Bows Out

We called her Flo,

our formidable headmistress 

who insisted on every girl achieving

her own personal best.

Competition was discouraged

and no class positions were given,

only individual achievement was celebrated

and pupils were randomly selected for the Houses

which were named after female achievers,

Cavell, Darling, Nightingale, Marvell and Fry.

Streaming was unheard of. 

She was so far ahead of her time

we’re still waiting for our time

to catch up.

She believed that women should step out 

and be true to themselves

always

so ‘narrow’ skirts were frowned on

as restricting our freedom.

Black stockings were also forbidden,

however fashionable.

She remembered the campaigns against them

back in her day when they were obligatory

and unfashionable.

I would have been leading,

she told me

so I should not wear them.

She ended her days in a Care Home

where she reclined in a hammock 

and sipped her sherry

as she swung.

I would have expected nothing less,

from such a woman.

Always

strong enough 

to be true to herself

she chose 

a perfect way to leave the stage.

https://medusaskitchen.blogspot.com/2024/05/school-daze.html