“Your shoes must be tied and properly laced.”
“There’s his seat, her seat, and this is where you will be placed.”
“You are not allowed to speak during any classes.”
“If you must use the restroom, there’s  limited passes.”
“Shirts three fingers wide, shorts past your finger-tips.”
“You’re in my class. Eyes forward, I don’t want to see any movement of your lips.”
They tell us when and where to go to.
They give us demands on what to do.
Irrational comments and opinions, are not to be said out loud.
To them, we’re just another face in the crowd.
They say, “everyone is special, just be yourself.”
Yet, they teach us to be someone else?
“Apologize when you interrupt.”
“Do not speak out, or be corrupt.”

“I will grade you on what you think and say,”
“I will take up 7 hours of your day.”
“Until the bell rings, you will stay in your seat.”
“Take your break, 30 minutes to eat.”
“Take your time on this test.”
“By the way, you have five minutes left.”
“This is the cell, tell me about the center.”
Education became a competition I never wanted to enter.
Halls and classes filled with drained kids.
Nothing heavier than my backpack, except maybe my eyelids.
Nothing I say really matters, a lot.
Not unless it’s typed, 12pt font.
Waiting all day, to come home and go to bed.
I lay down, thoughts about tomorrow run through my head.
“You’re just lazy, this attitude will never get you hired.”
They have no idea of my stress, I’m not lazy, I’m extremely tired.
They yell, “don’t give up, or throw a fit.”
Yet, they are giving us more reason, to quit.
“Too old to act like that, too young to say this.”
We’ve learned about bloody wars, but God forbid we say ‘piss.’
It’s like climbing up a very steep mountain,
Still left unanswered, I have question, after question.
One has to do sports and lots of exercises,
To get any recognition, medals, or prizes.
“If you’re thirsty, hurry up take a sip.”
“I don’t want to hear anything off-topic, or gossip”
I feel like a fish out of water, maybe a bird in the sea.
I’m sad and stressed, but no one will help me.
Tired, lifeless eyes, chewed down fingernails.
A life entertained by passes, or fails.
They’ve only forced me and given me no motivation to succeed.
Just a break, a break is all I need.
School is a murderer,
It killed the kids, that kids used to be.
“All this time, and that’s all you have done?!
C’mon, I know you’re not that dumb.”
“I dismiss you, the bell doesn’t dismiss you to your next class.”
Yet I’ll get blamed for being late without a pass.
“Bullying will not be tolerated here.”
Yet kids walk the halls with fear.
I feel like I’m going insane, but that’s okay..
My grades are more important than my mental health anyway.

-Amy Lord