EXAMS by Becky Hemsley

"EXAMS"
by Becky Hemsley

There are times I’ve been first and times I’ve been last

I’ve aced a distinction, I’ve just scraped a pass

I’ve known every answer that’s been on a test

I’ve sat and I’ve panicked and failed at my desk

I’ve labelled the countries, I’ve dated the wars

I’ve analysed novels and sonnets and more

I’ve been judged by the margins of numbers and letters,

Been told I’ve done well and that I could do better

But I can say this; that I did not learn less

From failure and fault than I did from success

See, we are much more than the answers we give

‘Cause it’s great and it’s grand but it’s messy to live

And we learn so much from this everyday mess

That isn’t included or marked in a test

And when we are gone and they think of our lives

They’ll think of our laugh and the way that we smiled

They’ll think of the memories with us that they treasure

Not grades or our scores or the ways we were measured

But the way that we’d sing and the way that we’d cook

With our head in the clouds or our nose in a book

The way that we loved and the way that we cared

The way that they’ll miss us when we are not there

And not because we got an A or a D,

A first or a last or a one or a three

But because we were funny, because we were kind

That’s how we’ll leave love for those left behind

So when you sit down and you open that test

Yes, read every question and give it your best

But remember, that paper does not define you

So don’t give it that power - whatever you do

*****

Another one for exam season

Becky Hemsley 2022

https://www.facebook.com/talkingtothewild

Beautiful artwork by the inimitable Lisa Aisato

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