We Really Do

You know those kids, the troublemakers. The ones who trip you up at every turn.

But here's the dirty little secret: they want to know what you are teaching. 

And we all want to learn. We really do.

Though some of us may hide it better than others, we all want to know.

What is a gerund? Who won that war? What is nineteen times seventy-four?

Excpet don't blame it on them, there is a deeper meaning to their actions. 

You act like school is our life, but we do have other problems besides that one essay.

His dad drinks. She might be pregnant. Those two who sit across from each other are both bullied.

So we're sorry if we get the easiest questions wrong. We're sorry if we didn't pass the test. We had other problems.

But don't worry, we still yearn.