Reality Check

The children are dying
and their mothers are crying.
The kid took a bullet through his head
right over his bed because
he dreaded waking up
to go to school in the morning.
The teachers are scorning the kids
who fell asleep on their desk
to rest because they stayed up late
practicing for the test last night.
And the students fight but what for?
Nobody even knows anymore.
The kids, they have anxiety
making school a priority while
their rooms make them slobs
because they’re juggling jobs
and they don’t know what to say
when they check their grades
and they’re failing a class
but they need that credit to pass
but work gets in the way so they spend
every day wondering if
they have time for the essay
due the next day that they haven’t even started.
Those “dearly departed” they say
they’ll always be in our heart,
did anyone say that while they were here?
Getting bullied for being fat
or for being queer?
No, nobody asked,
“Are you okay? Did you have a bad or good day?”
No, they say get ready.
Ready for what?
Hit with a diploma,
work on your degree,
because when reality hits,
it’s much worse than this….
or is it?