I Can’t Teach

Tired, sleeping on the keyboard

dreaming of grades...numbers...letters

Dozing over stanzas...paragraphs...pages

Shaking them off I rise.

I raise my weary head

Shake it all off.

the letters from their pages slip...fall

off the white page yet even on the screen

tipping it to the side...the letters gather

in the corner...huddled tightly together

Avoiding the wicked red pen!

They try to escape..they run...

they slip and slide.

Off to cower and shiver and hide.

The desire to correct is gone.

The wish to help sucked out.

The longing to say, "good job." feels wrong.

They did half of it..or none.

Oh here they come...

Mom and dad on the bone...

My backside hurts from the nips

My psyche aches from the assaults

My heart burns from the nerves

Will the onslaught subside?

Only when they are heard.

Only when they get their way..

Keep them home I say...

Let me teach...

Get outa my way.