The Wise One

I am not a child.

But I am human.

I still make mistakes.

And I am tired

Of replacing learning

With the precision of grades.

Do not measure me by grades

And treat me like a child

But expect me to keep learning

Like a machine not a human

Who can become tired

And can make mistakes.

Please do not use my mistakes

To strip numbers from my grades

Because the thought makes me scared and tired

Like a sniveling child

And I no longer wish to be human

When I am punished because I am learning.

Is not the point of learning,

To grow from your mistakes?

Is that not the point of being human?

But you take away the wonder of a child

 making her strained and tired.

You made me so tired

Of learning

and I felt small like a child

because I wanted better grades

and to stop being human.

But I am human.

And I am allowed to be tired.

I am not defined by grades

But by my choice to keep learning

After every mistake

Because I am resilient like a child.

Did you know you are human and you are still learning?

You are tired too and you make mistakes.

You may give the grades, but the wise one is the child.