Home Schooling

November and April

when the trees are first bare and last naked

have become my favorite months. All the food eaten

except last rose hips and earliest leeks.

Leaves innocent

as dying men and infants.

Study one plant or animal each morning

before writing anything. All reading"

poetry or prose, truth or fiction"

classified the same, the distinguishing

characteristics being helpful or boring, 

beautifully or indifferently written. Then

practice trumpet worried not at all about

my sound or perfection. Afternoon, my sons

return from school, math and (again) 

reading, piano. Wednesdays we walk

observe plants and animals and record

our observations to identify and classify

later in the week. Nothing else special

need be done but stay alive.