Class Mouse

I sit in my chair, last period of the day

The teacher’s voice sounding off the walls

He receives a few murmurs,

Confused stares in response to his

Eager, expectant questions

I can feel so many thoughts

Eager to roll of the tip of my tongue

“Dative of reference” I want to

Proudly proclaim- but I’m paralyzed

I clamp my mouth shut.

What is plaguing me?

From miniscule grammar points in Latin class

to the toughest problem on the calculus homework

I know what’s going on and

I can’t bring myself to utter the slightest noise

Let alone trust my wobbly legs to

Bring me to the whiteboard.

From 7:30-1:40

I can only sit in my chair, watching others

Attempt- sometimes succeed, sometimes not

All the while looking down at my paper

Knowing I’m right

But never able to look my teacher in the eyes

Lest they call on me and

My soft, trembling voice-

I would change my shyness.