Making the Grade

Year after year ofbrain-stretching agony

Bending the limits oftempered endurance,

Tables and intos andplus-minus posers

Til X becomes Y becomes,magically, Z.

 

Long-winded tales filledwith dates and dead people

Wasted on battlefieldsfar, far away.

Stories of Camelot,Sherwood and Hannibal

Camped beneath bed sheetswith flashlight in tow.

 

Cries of rebellion foruseless assignments

Fall on deaf ears, gocompletely unheard.

Oft being quoted, “Oh,you’ll thank me later.”

Though never quite clearwhen this “later” occurs.

 

Days wrought with dreadof those sheets lined with questions,

Problems and essays andmultiple choices.

Waiting for marks throughunbearable agony,

Never quite sure…

Never quite sure…

 

Time marches sidewaysthrough twelve years of prison,

Forced into labor til alldue is paid.

Finally, time boldlysteps to the future,

Silent and thankful formaking the grade.