An Ode to Public Education
They say we succeed
But we see no success
Just children still drowning
In their own stress
Forced conformity set for
Kids of all ages
Little do they understand
We all learn at different stages
We walk down the halls
Broken in soul and in mind
A helpful veneer
But nobody’s that kind
If you can’t keep up
It’s better left unsaid
You’ll get through it
If you don’t wind up dead
Some take a bullet
Others take a leap
You better be ready to pay
For the price of freedom is steep
Priorities are never straight
And the double standards are set
People will judge you
Before you’ve even met
A piece of paper
Determines our status
If those letters don’t change
Parents won’t even look at us
At the end of the day
It’s ironic that I find
That they still believe
No child’s left behind