I adored
Miss Slater
our literature teacher
Fiercely attractive
(she had a female companion)

Passionate
about the books
she loved

Slim
as the red
pen
she used
so ruthlessly
to scratch out
my stumbling attempts

Her writing was appalling
like a doctor's
She threw her words
at the page

'Explain? '
'This doesn't make sense! '
'Where is your conclusion? '
'Nice is not a word! '

Once she gave me an A
and my heart sang.

I found out later
she had lung cancer
- no wonder -
she smoked like a chimney!

Alison Cassidy

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/miss-slater/