the penguins at St. Thomas More

the nuns
never really cracked knuckles,
or whipped
us, too hard.
but like stoic penguins
they would stand
at the gate
of the chain link fence
that bordered
the black top
school yard and watch
for sins
to be committed.
God is watching you,
they'd say,
every second of every
day.
so be good, be kind,
turn the other cheek.
think
what Jesus
would do
when punched or
had his hair pulled,
or had His
lunch money stolen
that His mother Mary
gave him
to take to school.
we grumbled quietly
to ourselves,
believing that a thousand
angels would have
come to His rescue.