The sticky handrail
touched by the hands of
1500 middle schoolers
The rhythmic chime
of keys on a lanyard
as a colleague approaches
Second breakfast
with its mug of tea, a banana,
and a colleague with
her bowl of fruit and yogurt
The musty smell
of the locker room
as 120 sixth graders
leave for the day
The flow of students
up and down the staircase
at the beginning and end
of the day
The beep and buzz
of the lock
as you swipe your ID card
before the sun comes up
They joy in your heart
as you stand, before school,
in front of the building,
greeting families,
and one of your current,
or former students,
arrives
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