Miss Giddy what a name recently I had a nurse Miss Paine
all that bias against elfthanders? lefthanders cheers P
my mother had that problem was forced to write right-thanded then ended up 
writing with both hands in both directions and reverse

-----Original Message----- 
From: Max Richards
Sent: Wednesday, March 9, 2016 3:53 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: 'From Left to Right'

From Left to Right

Their boy is left-handed, Mum sees,
Dad sees, early on. Teachers both,
they know, when school begins,
this will be awkward for me.

Let’s see how Miss Giddy helps.
She’s Infant Mistress at this school
outside New Plymouth. Dad
is head teacher; the class

between is Miss Fleming’s.
I know them both: Mum
has them for afternoon tea
in the school house before

their bus to town is due.
I like one of them; sister
(right-handed), does too.
Miss Fleming’s rimless glasses

frown; Miss Giddy’s all smiles.
They unlatch the gate, step
between the vegetable rows,
pass the burdened clothes-line,

enter by the back door, sit
straight at the kitchen table -
a pot of tea, hot scones, jam.
Come day one, sister will take

me by the hand, wearing
the jumper Mum knitted me,
settle me with other new kids,
head off to stern Miss Fleming.

All the Primers in one room!
Most know what to do and not do.
Timid like me, and you’re slow
even to put chalk to the square

of blackboard with your name on.
Chalk is scarce - you wear it down,
a stub, and fingernails scratch.
Which hand is this? Left, I falter.

Let’s try the other one, it’s best.
It won’t behave. At tables,
with paper and crayons, worse.
Now, left hand behind your back -

practice this - over and over.
Getting better. Weeks pass.
Pencils, lined paper, crookedness.
Left hand behind your back.

In bed at night don’t both hands
twitch? Mum and Dad agree, Miss
Giddy’s right, the world of pens
and writing is right-handed.

Playtime, and Mr Richards has
set us all a challenge:
work your way up the chart
of tennis-ball skills, practice,

bounce, catch, throw, catch,
slow then fast; the better you get
the better you’ll be in class,
bouncing letters and words

along straight lines. Girls do best.
A boy, just changed from left
to right - ambidextrous? -
clumsy whichever hand's at play,

and slow of hand - far
behind that word-happy
tongue, that quick eye
eager to see all Taranaki,

all the country, all the sea,
taken to town, taken to tea
with Mum’s friend Miss Giddy,
who’s made a little man of me.