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Gooney Bird leaned over froestion "'A boy who had triplets at hoood first line, and it tells about you It doesn't have to use your name," she said
"How about eon was headed to Keiko's desk when Gooney Bird spoke again "I have an idea for Keiko, Mrs Pidgeon! How about A young girl of Asian descent'? Lots of things rhyme with descent!"
One by one, the children created their first lines Mrs Pidgeon wrote every one neatly on the board Then the class added second, rhy lines Some were quite easy; others were very, very hard
A boy who had triplets at home
Soirl of Asian descent
Decided to live in a tent
A redhead named Gooney Bird Greene
Wore a hat that was hardly routine
There once was a dude named Tyrone
Who frequently talked on the phone
A young girl named Chelsea explained
That she liked to be out when it rained
"Mr Leroy?" Gooney Bird said when she noticed that the principal was still working His tongue edged between his teeth "Time to put your pencil down"
"I'm not done," Mr Leroy said
Gooney Bird looked at Mrs Pidgeon and raised her eyebrows as if she were asking a silent question Mrs Pidgeon shrugged "Let's let hiether the class worked on the liun while Mr Leroy, his head bent over his paper, wrote and erased, wrote and erased Sohed and stared out the
"He's thinking," Keiko pointed out
"Yes," said Gooney Bird "Occasionally it helps to look at the sky and o blank for a minute Why don't we all try it, because we're sort of stuck on Tyrone's lieon (but not Mr Leroy--he was bent over his paper again), stared through theat the sky
"My hts just keep whirling and whirling!"
"Shhhh," said Gooney Bird "Silence helps"
Gradually, with breaks for staring at the sky, the class began to finish the lih aloud Mr Leroy never looked up
"Okay, class," Mrs Pidgeon said at last "We haven't finished theot to see how limericks work I'll write these down and read the"
"They'll h," Tyrone said "Especially eon looked at the board and chuckled She read Tyrone's limerick aloud
There once was a dude named Tyrone
Who frequently talked on the phone
While having some fun,
He dialed 911,
And they handcuffed hirown
"Mine, too!" said Gooney Bird "Read , read Gooney Bird's limerick
A redhead named Gooney Bird Greene
Wore a hat that was hardly routine
We couldn't complain,
For it warmed up her brain,
And at least it was perfectly clean
"Oh, eon looked at the clock "You knohat? It's lunchti on liot to our social studies lesson I wonder if the principal will betoward Mr Leroy when she said that He didn't hear her He was looking at his paper and chewing on the eraser at the end of his pencil
"I bet the principal is gonna punish us!" Tyrone said loudly But Mr Leroy didn't hear hiain
"Earth to Principal!" Malcolm said into his fake microphone But Mr Leroy didn't look up
"Class, on the count of three," Mrs Pidgeon suggested, "outdoor voices Onetwo three!"
"MR LEROY!" the class shouted
Finally the principal looked up "I did it!" he said "I wrote a limerick!"
"It's lunchtime, Mr Leroy," Gooney Bird said, "and I have a dill-pickle-and-tofu sandwich I aer to eat"
"May I read my limerick aloud?" the principal asked The children all nodded Mrs Pidgeon looked at the clock again
Mr Leroy stood in front of the class They could see that his paper was covered with eraser marks and cross-outs and scribbles, just like theirs But he looked very proud
A man named John Thomas Leroy
Hated poetry when just a boy
But the second grade thought
That he ought to be taught
Soon liht him some joy!
He bowed, and the class applauded politely "Gotta run," Mr Leroy said "I didn't realize it was so late I have a lunch appointment with the superintendent of schools" Carefully he folded his paper and put it into his pocket "I think I'll read hiht not be faht vote topart of the curriculuoodbye to the class and disappeared through the door There was a brief silence Then Felicia Ann, in her quiet voice, said, "Hith wathn't very good, wath it?"
"Not as good as ours," Barry agreed
"He just needson poetry for days, but it's brand new for him"