The Letter
They watch our pencils scribble filled pages
Our feet rub against the rugged floor as if we are walking down a path
A path
A path to nowhere
Nowhere but the letter on the graded paper that is supposed to rule who we are
Shows that apparently, we are flawless
A
Just a letter we are raised to think is the answer
But if that’s the case
Why are A’s so short term yet a symbol on a page filled with something we thought was real, so indefinite
A smile is plastered across our faces
They think that all we can see is a
5 out of 5
A 10 out of 10
And a 50 out of 50
And the only thing we ever fear is that 50 out of 50 turning into
45 out of 50
39
34
Failure
You are a Failure
Words we never really hear clearly but an echo that uneasily runs through our thoughts
Manipulated by unheard whispers
Echoing behind us
They think it’s easy for us
They think we don’t even have to try
But god,
They don’t know
That a b+ for us, is treated like an F in our isolated society
A
The letter from the alphabet
That is supposed to be the only answer
A
Because they think
That for us
Perpetually raised hands
Are all we can be
above unheard whispers
Unheard words
And unheard screams
One thought on “The Letter”
Oh, Chaya, this is so true. Grading can be brutal and often doesn’t take the whole picture of your effort into account. I always hated grading, especially knowing some assignments take such time and bravery to complete! It would have been wonderful instead to have conversations about your work and goals. The important thing, though, is that you realize a single number or letter doesn’t define you. That is hard to remember, especially with others looking over your shoulder, but it is an important truth. Love you always!