Eric Baylin's
Songs to Brighten
A Teacher's Day

The proverbial senior slump is a valley too low to penetrate. Their eyes are glazed; their minds set on caps and gowns and the release into summer. Perhaps there are some viable alternatives to “the slump.” Meanwhile, we all suffer -- and sing -- our way through it.

School probably has been over for them for a long time, but when the warm weather finally hits, seniors are definitely outta here.

Down in the valley, the valley so low,
Seniors are slumping, aching to go.

They have learned all that they want to know,
They are so ready, ready to go.

Their pace has slowed down, down to a crawl,
Coming to class late, or not at all.
Hard to remember, hard to recall,
How hard they worked way back in the fall.

It was all over when they got mail,
Early decision, got into Yale.
No more incentive, it never fails,
Those letters take wind out of their sails.

Why bother learning once you are in?
Wait until college, and start up again.
But in the meantime, to their chagrin,
Theres still some school left; can they dig in?

Maybe they all should quit, after fall.
Send them to China, or Senegal,
Somewhere thats far a-way from it all.
Have an adventure; theyd have a ball.

But theyre still here, though you wouldnt know,
Staring out windows, moving so slow.
Teachers are trying, trying although,
Their minds are gone; theyre ready to go.