I Think I'll Major in Education

By B.G. Tate

This book is composed of poems and short stories. It is set in the southern rural United States; mainly in Texas. Many topics are discussed. Animals, religion, race, romance, sports, politics, and social justice are only some of them. Much of the material is thought-provoking and controversial, but the primary purpose is to entertain. The ideas are often serious but are treated with a unique type of humor. Anyone spending a few hours in Bobby Tate’s world is guaranteed an enjoyable experience. Some parts of his work will be read again and again. It is actually an extremely funny book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Mar 21, 2022
• ISBN: 9781665552431

B.G. Tate

Bobby Tate was born in Palo Pinto County and was brought up in Huckabay, Texas. His father, his uncles, and many of his cousins were teachers. He said, “It was almost like we had school at our house every day, even in the summers.” He has a bachelor’s degree in history from Tarleton State University and several teaching certificates. He has a master’s degree in secondary education and has taught school for thirty years. His love of animals was also fostered by his father, who was considered by his neighbors as an expert at raising any type of livestock. Mr. Tate was born with cerebral palsy. He had several surgeries and as a result spent a lot of time by himself. Because of this, he developed a tremendous love for reading, which has lasted all his life. Partially because of his handicap, and possibly because he has read more than many people, he has a unique perspective toward life. He admits his outlook is different. His attitude is reflected in his writing. He has attempted to overcome most obstacles in his life with humor.

Book preview

I Think I’ll Major

in Education

B.G. Tate

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AuthorHouse™

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.authorhouse.com

Phone: [phone]

© 2022 B.G. Tate. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or

transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 03/17/2022

ISBN: 978-1-6655-5244-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-5242-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-5243-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022903159

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in

this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views

expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the

views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

To Les Gandy and James Boynton, the two

educators who influenced me most.

For Lucy Aguilar. Without her, there would be no book.

Contents

POEMS

I Think I’ll Major in Education

POEMS ABOUT BASKETBALL AND OTHER SPORTS

A Basketball Challenge

Grateful for Graduation

An Exciting Ending

Play the Next Play

A Gifted Scorer

Whatever Happened to the Post Man?

The Problem with Being Short

Clyde Drexler

Call Me the Correct Name

For an All-State Player

For Chelsea

For Kaylee and Kaymee Little

A Reluctant Fan

For Taylor Clark

For Marty Seymour

For Taylor Branson

An Absentee Fan

Mama Was Wrong

A Job Offer

Practice Makes Perfect

For Trinity

The Reason I Can Shoot

A Talented Player

Football Dreams

Randy Spain 1974

Andy Wartes 1965

POEMS ABOUT FAMILY

The Advantage of Heredity

Family Resemblance

A Mother’s Discipline

An Unusual Family

For a Close Relative

Something Better

Sometimes You Can Know Too Much

A Dedicated Parent

In Search of a Parent

My Cousin Ricky

When God Made Brady Nelson

Reluctant Acceptance

Unique First Names

An Incident with a Gun

A Common Occurrence

Aaron and Some of the People Who Love Him (December 1999)

POLITICAL POEMS

A One-Word President

An Opinion of the President

Why He Shouldn’t Run Again

A Hypocritical Response

An Assault on Our Capitol

A Grandpa Who Changed

POEMS ABOUT ANIMALS

Nobody Gets Along on the Tate Farm

No Need to Be Hasty

Color Preference

Less Chance for Error

The Chicken-Egg Argument

An Unusual New Neighbor

An Envious Lamb

What the Hen Said

What the Cat Said

A Dog’s Life

Ode to a Dead Red Rabbit (1974)

Bo Peep and the Inebriated Sheep

People Act Like Sheep or Vice Versa

Zachary and the Goats (November 1999)

Brady and Some of His Friends (December 1999)

POEMS OF SOCIAL IMPACT

A Plea for Gun Control

It Might Be a Little Too Warm

A Good Way to Live

A Common Reaction to Seeing Me

Better to Be Satisfied

All Things Are Not Tied to Politics

A Colorful Poem

What Will Be the Next Excuse?

Glad for Others

An Example of Our Spoiled Society

An Unimportant Person

An Argument for Lower Speed

Be Careful in the Kitchen

Spankings Usually Don’t Hurt

Different Types of Talents

Damaged from Childhood

A Lack of Appreciation for Plants

Try Alcohol Next Time

Another Plea for Gun Control

A Gun Is Usually Worse

You Can Stay High for Only So Long

What Would the Victims Say?

Peace for Our Country

An Attempt at Free Enterprise

An Ode to Politeness

A Poem about Myself

My Mother Was Right

What a Height Change Would Have Done

My Hero

Too Young to Raise a Child

Who Is the Crazy One?

POEMS ABOUT RELIGION

One More Chance from God

A Typical Preacher

A Bad Deed with a Good Outcome

Just Another Church Romance

A Question for the Preacher

POEMS ABOUT POEMS

Poems and Plants Keep You Poor

A Happy Poet

A Poet with a Weak Jaw

A Colloquial Poem (1980)

Nostalgia

POEMS ABOUT LOVE

Which Choice?

A Case of Mistaken Identity

A Disappointing Romance

An Unclothed Investigation

No Better the Second Time

A Slow Learner

Practical Chemistry

She Fooled the Judge

Saturday Night Date

A Surprise for Mary

Plain Jane (Written 2011)

Try to Pick a Rich Girl

Good Luck to Both of You

A Full Circle

Happy Birthday to Pam

Edna-Forever

Ode to an Ex-Wife

A Fortunate Bonus

A Nursing Home Poem

Natural Chemistry

An Easy Last Name

The Boxer’s Wife

POETIC TRIBUTES

For Larry Hailey (On Your 75th Birthday)

Happy Birthday to Bill Davis (2021)

Happy Birthday to Nikki (April 29, 2021)

Happy Birthday, Donna

For Brandi Nelson on Her Birthday

Lucy’s Children

POEMS ABOUT EDUCATION

Ode to a Loyal Teacher

Advantage of a Small Class

An Aid for Correct Addition

A Reason for Moving to Texas

Two Unimportant Toes

A Way to Improve Education

A Modern-Day Education

A Troublesome Name

An Ironic Picture

On Being Placed in the Hall of Honor

A High School Romance

Maybe He Should Be a Teacher

Would You Try to Understand? (Written 1985)

Ambition

A Special Child

His Teaching Bonus

For an Old Student

SHORT CLIPS

SHORT STORIES

God Knows What He’s Doing

Making God’s Team

The Dullness of Excitement

A Chance to Measure Up

The Size of the Heart

The Dance

A Plea for True Pacifism

The Roller Coaster

Cartwheels for Christ

Thou Shalt Not Date Seniors

How Far Does Friendship Go?

The Premonition

Pride

The Professor

Uncle Bob

POEMS

I Think I’ll Major in Education

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They said, "Choose a major for college.

You have to make a decision."

I said, "It can’t be math.

I stopped at long division."

I recall the colony at Jamestown.

I know of the Roanoke mystery,

But that’s all I remember.

I guess it won’t be history.

My geography is fuzzy.

I think my maps were too old.

I confuse my facts

About the North and South Poles.

For me, attempting English

Would be a bit absurd.

I never did like Shakespeare.

I can’t conjugate a verb.

I never complete a science project

To anyone’s satisfaction,

But when I kiss my girlfriend,

There’s a chemical reaction.

A firm grasp of any subject

Seems just beyond my reach.

I think I’ll major in education.

I feel qualified to teach.

POEMS ABOUT

BASKETBALL AND

OTHER SPORTS

A Basketball Challenge

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She said, "Your chance are slim and none.

Your team cannot beat mine."

I said, "Tell old Slim to suit on up.

I’ll take him anytime."

Grateful for Graduation

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Neches won State for three straight years.

They haven’t been heard from since.

Graduation is a great equalizer.

For it, there is no defense.

An Exciting Ending

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The game was decided at the buzzer.

The ball swished right through the net.

Some people were glad.

Some people were sad.

It depended on which way they’d bet.

Play the Next Play

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Don’t fret if you miss a layup.

There’s nothing you need to say.

Basketball is a game of mistakes.

Move on—play the next play.

Don’t react to the referees.

You won’t change their minds anyway.

Not many games are lost from one call.

Move on—play the next play.

Always shoot when you’re open.

If the ball doesn’t fall, it’s okay.

Have a short memory and shoot it again.

Move on—play the next play.

It doesn’t matter if you’re in peewee,

Play in college, or the NBA.

At every level, the game is the same.

Move on—play the next game.

A Gifted Scorer

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A shooter like Steph Curry

There has never been before.

Some of his threes are so far out

They should actually count for four.

Whatever Happened to the Post Man?

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Three-pointers can blow a game open.

The change can be abrupt.

Percentages are better near the basket.

Can anyone post up?

If you look at the history of the NBA,

The lesson is clear as can be.

Kareem is the all-time leading scorer.

I doubt that he ever made a three.

The Problem with Being Short

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It was an accident by inches,

The athlete told the cop.

"An outfielder’s legs

Could have reached those brakes,

But me, I play shortstop."

Clyde Drexler

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He played the game eight hours a day.

His obsession was almost pathetic.

It took him to the Hall of Fame.

His success was not genetic.

Call Me the Correct Name

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I’ve beaten you ten times straight.

On you, I’ve left my stamp.

You call me a bad name after each game.

Why not just call me Champ?

For an All-State Player

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I know a girl named Maggie Peacock.

She’s an athlete; there’s no doubt.

Her primary reason for basketball success:

Peacock’s seldom fowl out.

For Chelsea

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Some players can score easily.

Some players simply cannot.

You are a great shooter.

I think you must practice a Lott.

For Kaylee and Kaymee Little

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Both of you shoot really well.

You both can take a charge.

Your last name may be Little,

You don’t just play big;

You play large.

A Reluctant Fan

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It broke my heart

When y’all moved to Lipan.

I remember how much it hurt.

I watched you win State on the iPad.

I was wearing a Lipan shirt.

For Taylor Clark

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I know it hurt when you got hurt.

It sent your life into a skid.

But there would be no State title without you.

You earned it as much as they did.

For