On the Occasion of 100 years of Steiner Education.

A Waldorf Kindergarten opens its doors,
To Steiner Philosophy it unlocks its doors,
We look around at home like floors,
With rugs, carpets and capes on the floor,
But children work on their daily chore,
Like a real home it does feel.
Warm and vibrant in pink and peach;
A cosy corner for the dolls to sleep;
Little girls with soft touch do reach
The cuddly dolls of cotton and wool
Sewed and felted with a gentle touch.

A ring of fairies greeted my sight;
Vibrant in colour, yet dreamy and light;
In awe and wonder I gaze to my right
A table with gnomes, angels and elves, so bright.
Warm were the candles with golden lights
Shells, stones and treasures a-bright
Placed on the Natures Table a-right.

In we step into a fairy land
Near the child-sized wooden chairs I stand
To watch the toys on the wooden stand
Animals and gnomes on wooden stumps
And blocks of wood for tea cups to stand.
I sip some tea from little hands
Offered with reverence and love - I did find

A gentle breeze sweeps through the windows
Ting-a-ling-a-ling goes the bell so low
Brings a shout of joy from the twinkle toes;
When the drapes of silk move soft and slow
As children settle on tables low;
The mats are laid and the dishes set
In order and reverence the Grace is said
To share their fruits and daily bread
Is a Waldorf trait, as Steiner said.

Playing and painting,
Singing and sewing,
Clapping and cleaning,
Listening to stories,
Sets a rhythm in the day;
That keeps the children happy and gay.

In a dreamy mood their childhood stays
Enveloped by the warm teachers’ ways
In wonder and reverence I hereby say
Many more hundred years - may the Steiner schools stay.

A tribute to Waldorf Kindergarten by Latha Madhusudhan,