Poem: Why do I go to School?

(This was dedicated to my son who kept asking why he goes to school when he was five years old)

I go to school
To learn and have fun
To see my teachers and friends
To see my friends and celebrate
To break the cycle of sleep
To escape the boredom at home, and
To expand my social network
Why do I go to school?

I go to school
To nourish my young mind
To strengthen the foundation of my life
To flourish and mature
To make myself and loved once proud, and
To rise and shine
Why do I go to school?

I go to school
To see a window of the world
To broaden my imagination
To get the wisdom of the hare
To avoid the cunning of the wolf, and
To build a foundation for a legacy
Why do I go to school?

I go to school
To know myself better
To discover and build on my strength
To learn from my weakness,
To embrace it and improve
To learn from the mistakes of others
To stretch and challenge myself, and
To see the good in everyone
Why do I go to school?

I go to school
To chase the ignorance in me
To overcome the ego and its destruction
To overcome the lower self and learn to share
To know the hints to unlock the deeper self
To become more critical, and
Become self-aware
To learn the manners that succeed, and
The manners that fail
Why do I go to school?

I go to school
To learn about the stars and the moon
To aspire and reach the sun
To reflect on other communities like us,
Of birds, ants and the fish
Or the mountains and the seas
Though can’t communicate, they
Have something to offer
Why do I go to school?

I go to school
To not to pass the years but
To make a difference in my life
To plan today for tomorrow
To know the past to inform the future, and
To unlock the world, and
To make the world a better place, and
Not to lose the why in me!
Why do I go to school? 

Abdirashid Ahmed (MSc Education (Research Design and Methodology) (2022)) is a St Cross Scholar. Learn more about him at his profile on the College website.