In junior high, we had to memorize and recite a poem in front of the class and this was one of the choices available to us. It's the one I chose, so it holds a special place for me.

The teacher who taught our class was probably one of the best teachers I've ever had. She was tough but fair and so you really wanted to impress her 'cause she knew what you were capable of. When you're a teenager, having an adult treat you with respect but call you out when you fell short of your own standards goes a long way.