The students of the entire school and their teachers ate in the dining room while praying:
-For what we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truly grateful. Amen.
They all sat in their seats, hungry, ready to eat.
Mrs Keating sat next to Mrs McAllister, who scooped up her food and passed it to Keating.
-Quite an interesting class you gave today, Mrs. Keating. -Mrs. McAllister started.
-Sorry if I shocked you, Mrs. McAllister. -She answered.
-There's no need to apologize. It was very fascinating. Misguided thought it was.
-You think so?
Mrs. McAllister took a deep breath.
-You take a big risk by encouraging them to become artists, Joan. When they realize they're not Rembrandts, Shakespeares or Mozarts, they'll hate you for it.
-We're not artists, Georgia, we're talking free thinkers.
-Free thinkers at 17? -Mrs. McAllister laughed.
-Funny, I never pegged you as a cynic.
Mrs. McAllister blinked twice.
-Not a cynic. -She argued. -A realist. "Show me the heart. Unfettered by foolish dreams, and I'll show you a happy man".
-"But only in their dreams can men be truly free, 'twas always thus and always thus be".
-Tennyson?
-No, Keating. -She winked.
Mrs. McAllister laughed.
Nicole sat at the table minutes later, wearing something under her jacket.
-Hey, I found her senior annual in the library. -She concluded.
She opened the book to the indicated page and handed it to Cameron. She chuckled.
-Listen to this: Captain of the soccer team, editor of the school annual, Cambridge bound, thigh woman, and the Dead Poets Society.
The book was taught by Mrs Keating when she was a student at Welton. She was much changed, much younger and more attractive.
-"Woman most likely to do anything". -Cameron read out loud.
-Thigh woman. -Charlie talked. -Mrs. K. was a hell-raiser.
All the girls laughed.
-What's the Dead Poets Society? -Kim asked.
A teacher scolded them and Cameron put the manual under the table.
After lunch, Mrs. Keating was going for a walk, whistling.
-Mrs. Keating!- Nicole shouted. -Mrs. Keating!
All the girls went after Nicole.
-O Captain, My Captain? -Nicole asked again, trying to get the teacher's attention.
Mrs. Keating stopped whistling and looked at them.
-We were just looking in your old annual. -She gave the annual to the teacher.
-Oh, my God. -Mrs. Keating said. -No, that 's not me.
She crouched down to better contemplate the annual and contemplate her past, while she was naming her former companions.
Nicole looked at her friends and crouched down as well.
-What's the Dead Poets Society?
Mrs. Keating looked at Nicole.
YOU ARE READING
A Poem By Walt Whitman
PoetryTaylor Anderson arrives at the Welton school, at the school of terror. Many call it Hell-ton. What Taylor will never know is that she is going to make a lot of new friends. What Taylor will never know is that she will be part of a secret poetry asso...