Flipping Exams! Poem by Denis Martindale

Oh, good, exams are here again,
What ecstasy, what bliss,
Each question seems beyond my ken,
No pressure, then, in this...
Just open text books and revise,
Until my mind melts down,
Then after sleeping, open eyes,
Beneath a frightened frown...

Well, morning's here, no turning back,
No skiving off today,
So off towards my School I crack,
Revising on the way...
But then the trembling shakes begin,
My heart starts racing now,
But I press on, I won't give in,
I'll struggle through somehow...

It's time, it's bloody time, it's here,
The teachers stand on guard,
With their broad smiles so full of cheer,
Like passing's way too hard!
They're cruel to children everywhere,
Despite the stuff they taught,
In truth, they're paid, so they don't care,
Hence every bad report!

They've really got it in for me,
I'm done for, that's a fact...
Who cares, it's only chemistry! ?
It's not that I'll get smacked...
Just disappointed looks, that's all,
Dad couldn't give a damn,
Mum's praying for a miracle...
I'll do the best I can!

And then it's done, I crawl back home,
In shock for all to see,
My hair's messed up, I need a comb,
‘I'm starving, what's for tea! ? '
Then Dad asks me what grade I got!
He's shocked to hear me say,
‘Although they put me on the spot,
Thank God, I got an A! '


Denis Martindale March 2017.