Poem: Recurring Dream

School days reveries inspire this week’s Poet’s Corner contribution from Damian Balassone.

May 22, 2024, updated Mar 18, 2025
Photo: Ricardo Oliveira / Pexels
Photo: Ricardo Oliveira / Pexels

Recurring Dream

I catch a glimpse
of Rosa-Marie.
She’s leaving on the school bus,
but doesn’t wave to me.
Though I’m standing on my toes,
she doesn’t seem to see.

I catch a glimpse
of Rosa-Marie.
She’s leaving on the school bus,
but doesn’t notice me.
Though I’m standing in the rain,
she doesn’t seem to see.

I catch a glimpse
of Rosa-Marie
as that bus pulls away
for all eternity,
but this time as I stare,
I’m sure she looks at me

as if she understands
that this is the end
and she will never see
my pimply face again.

Damian Balassone, from Warrandyte, Victoria, is the author of three volumes of poetry, including the forthcoming collection of short poems and epigrams ‘Love is a Weird Cat’. His poem ‘When the School Bell Chimed’ featured in Poet’s Corner on February 14.

Readers’ original and unpublished poems of up to 40 lines can be emailed, with postal address, to [email protected]. Submissions should be in the body of the email, not as attachments. A poetry book will be awarded to each accepted contributor.