Teacher knocks. Flurry
of mutely shouting hands rise
like startled pheasants.
“You have one hour
remaining. Tell me
everything
you know about X.”
Nerves twitch electric.
Fifteen more minutes to sit.
Words are exhausted.
Someone always coughs.
My pen is always dying.
Negativity.
Tendons start cramping
Pinched scrawl limps across
the page,
crow with shattered feet.
I just stopped to think.
Birds sang on white window
ledge.
Where did the time go?
