Oh school, I owe you so much
For destroying my imagination
For telling me I can excel
In the subjects YOU tell me to
I must not excel in laughter or jokes
And forget about friends!

Creativity?
Fun?

Well, does it help your math skills?

I must swallow the information
I’ve been given whole
Write stanzas, learn the classics
Write like Tolkien if you wish
But keep it three to five pages
And NEVER
Write like yourself

Voice?
In writing?
All right, but get to the point
And don’t let too much of yourself
Shine through

Don’t express yourself
Don’t defend yourself
It makes us think, and who wants that?

You’ll leave this school
Bleached, neatly dressed
Dripping with information
Stamped with the school logo
Packaged and marked for college

And don’t ask why
Because the teacher is always right