Carol Sue

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                 WHY CAROL SUE ALWAYS MISSED THE SCHOOL BUS
                                                              by
                                                      
Judy Dunn

                                                I can’t make up my mind
 
                                               I don’t know what to wear,
                       
                        Another problem is
  
                                             How to wear my hair  

                                                I have long red hair
          
                                     I sometimes fix with clips,
                       
                        When I wear it loose,
                       
                        It hangs down to my hips

                                                There are six different ways
 
                                               I can wear my long red hair
                       
                        Pushed up or pushed down,
                       
                        With a bow here and there

                                                Swept up in back
                       
                        With some curls on one side,
                       
                        Two braids or one,
                       
                        I can’t always decide

                                                A pony tail is nice,
                       
                        Tied with a bow,
                       
                        With very long bangs,
                       
                        Oops! My forehead won’t show

                                                Should I wear my red tights
                       
                        With my purple sweater?
                       
                        No, my blue and white blouse,
                       
                        I think that’s better

                                                I’LL BE LATE FOR SCHOOL
                       
                        I’M STILL NOT DRESSED,
                       
                        I CAN’T  MAKE UP MY MIND
                       
                        I DON’T KNOW WHAT’S BEST

                                                Brown and white beads
                       
                        With my green striped dress,
                       
                        Dark blue tights,
                       
                        They won’t match I would guess

                                                Mom calls up
                       
                        From the kitchen below,
                       
                        Hurry up and get dressed.
                       
                        You’re much too slow

                                                She tells me it’s late,
                       
                        I’ll miss the school bus,
                       
                        I HAVE TO MAKE UP MY MIND
                       
                        I  know I should rush

                                                She wails my breakfast
                       
                        Is getting old,
                       
                        In fact she says,
                       
                        IT’S GROWING MOLD!!!

                                                Darn that bus,
                       
                        It’s always on time,
                       
                        Why can’t it come later?
                       
                        It’s really a crime !!!

                                                The bus driver won’t wait,
                       
                        I know that’s the rule,
                       
                        But for Heaven’s sake,
                       
                        He makes me miss school

                                                It’s the bus driver’s fault,
                       
                        He doesn’t give me time,
                       
                        I can’t help it if
                       
                        I CAN’T MAKE UP MY MIND

                                                He comes too early,
                       
                        I could cry, I could weep,
                       
                        He’s really a nerd,
                       
                        Gosh, I’m still half-asleep

                                                Don’t blame the driver
                       
                        My mother shouts,
                       
                        YOU HAVE TOO MANY CLOTHES,
                       
                        THAT’S WHAT IT’S ABOUT

                                                She thinks that I
                       
                        Have too many clothes,
                       
                        BUT SHE BOUGHT THEM ALL,
                       
                        FROM MY HEAD TO MY TOES!!

                                                I  HAVE TO MAKE UP MY MIND
                       
                        And pick something to wear,
                       
                        I can’t spend much more time
                       
                        In my pink underwear

                                                I  look in my closet
                       
                        For the twentieth time,
                       
                        I’ll wear my white skirt
                       
                        With the zebra design

                                                Or I’ll wear my green dress
                       
                        With the white satin sash,
                       
                        High purple socks,
                       
                        Better not, they will clash

                                                My brother is laughing
                       
                        What does he know?
                       
                        HE WEARS THE SAME CLOTHES,
                       
                        FIVE DAYS IN A ROW!!

                                                He puts on my hat,
                       
                        Turns it inside out,
                       
                        Makes a hideous face,
                       
                        He’s a creep, there’s no doubt

                                                He tells me that
                       
                        I shouldn’t have hair,
                       
                        Then it wouldn’t matter
                       
                        What I wear

                                                His crew cut is ugly
                       
                        Makes his head look too small,
                       
                        Screwed into his neck,
                       
                        It looks like a ball

                                                I’ll wear my light blue dress
                       
                        And my red straw hat,
                       
                        With my big brown jacket
                       
                        No, it makes me look fat

                                                Should I wear my hair up
                       
                        Or swept to the side?
                       
                        With red bows on top
                       
                        I still can’t decide

                                                I’ll wear my bright orange blouse
                       
                        That covers my knees,
                       
                        Or my green dress with flowers,
                       
                        NO, IT MIGHT ATTRACT BEES!!!

                                                My bright yellow skirt?
                       
                        No, it’s much too tight,
                       
                        YOU CAN SEE MY PANTIES
                       
                        WHEN I STAND IN THE LIGHT!!!

                                                I look out the window,
                       
                        The bus just arrived,
                       
                        But I’m still in pajamas,
                       
                        I STILL CAN’T DECIDE

                                                My green blouse with pads
                       
                        Makes my shoulders look square,
                       
                        LIKE A FOOTBALL PLAYER,
                       
                        No, all the kids will stare

                                                My closet is stuffed
                       
                        With so many clothes,
                       
                        I’d wear my red dress,
                       
                        But it covers my toes

                                                There are clothes on the chairs,
                       
                        Clothes on the floor,
                       
                        Clothes on the stairs,
                       
                        BUT THERE’S STILL ROOM FOR MORE!!!

                                                My teacher calls,
                       
                        Carol Sue are you sick?
                       
                        You’ve missed so much school,
                       
                        Please get well quick

                                                I tell her that
                       
                        I can barely breathe,
                       
                        When I start to walk,
                       
                        I begin to sneeze

                                                That my knees buckle under
                       
                        When I start to walk,
                       
                        The reason is,
                       
                        It hurts when I talk

                                                That my nose is stuffed
                       
                        My eyes are red,
                       
                        I really have to
                       
                        Go back to bed

                                                I feel so bad
                       
                        ‘cause I told her a lie,
                       
                        I will tell you that,
                       
                        I started to cry

                                                But what can I do?
                       
                        I know I’ll fail in school,
                       
                        I CAN’T MAKE UP MY MIND,
                       
                        I guess I’m a fool        

                                                But I continue to think
                       
                        About what I should wear,
                       
                        My dark blue skirt
                       
                        With the circle and square?

                                                I’ll make only one braid,
                       
                        There’s no time for two,
                       
                        Add an old orange bow
                       
                        That somehow looks new

                                                I look for a skirt,
                       
                        One’s under the bed,
                       
                        No, I think I’ll wear
                       
                        My green jumper instead

                                                 Mom starts to screech,
                       
                        You’ve missed the bus,
                       
                        It’s the tenth time it’s happened,
                       
                        She makes a big fuss

                                                 My brother crows,
                       
                        You’re not very bright,
                       
                        Why can’t make up your mind?
                       
                        So he starts a fight

                                                All you care about
                       
                        Are your clothes and your hair,
                       
                        WHAT ABOUT SCHOOL?
                       
                        Don’t you care?

                                                 He yanks my braid,
                       
                        Pulls my hair,
                       
                        Roars, YOU BETTER FIND
                       
                        SOMETHING TO WEAR

                                                 Get out of my room,
                       
                        I give him a push,
                       
                        He falls over backwards,
                       
                        Lands right on his tush

                                                So he hides all my clothes,
                       
                        Except my blue dress,
                       
                        There’s no time for my hair,
                       
                        Oh, what a mess!

                                                Then he grabs my hand,
                       
                        Pulls me out to the street,
                       
                        Even though I don’t have
                       
                        Shoes on my feet

                                                IN SCHOOL I CAN’T
                       
                        KEEP UP WITH THE CLASS,
                       
                        I’M FAILING SCIENCE,
                       
                        MUSIC AND MATH

                                                MY BROTHER WAS RIGHT,
                       
                        I GUESS HE’S NO FOOL,
                       
                        HE HAD WARNED ME THAT
  
                                             I’D FAIL IN SCHOOL

                                                I FINALLY REALIZE
                       
                        I HAVE TO FIND
                       
                        A WAY OF MAKING
                       
                        UP MY MIND

                                                 THEN A BRAINSTORM STRIKES!!!
                       
                        LIKE A LIGHTENING BOLT,
                       
                        I’M SO MAD AT MYSELF,
                       
                        I’VE BEEN SUCH A DOLT

                                                 IT WAS REALLY SO EASY,
                       
                        I’VE FOUND THE WAY,
  
                                             I’LL WEAR JEANS AND A T-SHIRT
                       
                        EVERY DAY!!!

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  If you have questions or comments, send them to Judy Dunn at dunnjm@eckerd.edu