Sir, have you noticed that half the class is asleep?
And that the rest are physically present, but mentally miles away?
Very soon, someone will surely start to weep,
for we don’t understand a word of what you say!
You tell us that some angles are obtuse, while others are acute,
And the rest are simply right;
Well, your words confuse, and our tongues go mute,
While our hearts hop in fright!
And though we sincerely try, every equation to satisfy,
By finding the values of the elusive ‘Mr. X’ and ‘Mr. Y’,
Nothing adds up, and we can’t help but sigh ,
As only our sadness and frustrations multiply.
Now, did I just hear you say we have a test tomorrow?
It might interest you to know, you’ve just compounded our sorrow.
It’s so very kind of you, Sir, to include every chapter and every page,
And it’s even nicer to see you smirk and say so at this late stage.
We’re not Euler or Aryabhata’s incarnations, don’t you know?
I guess you will, for that’s exactly what the results will show.
Now, don’t get us wrong, we’re not stupid or lazy;
It’s just that all these formulas can drive anyone crazy!
There are so many figures to study but not one of them is pretty,
And every attempt to befriend them seems to end in enmity!
There is so much material to go through but none of it is witty,
And our patience, though aplenty, does not tend to infinity.
And now, as you speak of circles and pi, it reminds me,
Of a round table with cookies, cakes and tea!
And then, I slowly drift away, dreaming of magical portals that lead somehow,
from the classroom to the canteen, through which I could disappear right now!
So Sir, please don’t worry,
if tomorrow, you see me gazing vacantly into space,
And if I fall asleep, I assure you,
it will be with a smile on my face.
-Written in 2009
Dancing Tides 