I’d managed to forget about it
(For a week at least),
But now it’s here, it’s back again,
That truly scary beast.
Such a harmless-looking message,
It’s in my inbox now:
“Your Assignment has been Marked!
Click Here, Review it Now!”
I didn’t understand them well
(The essay options given),
And now I’m sure the price I’ll pay
Is the low mark I’ll be given.
I hardly dare to click the link.
I know just what I’ll see:
A great big fat whole minus D
Will be staring back at me.
I know my tutor hates me;
That’s been made quite clear
By the other middling, not-great marks
I’ve had so far this year.
I thought I’d like this course at first
When I saw the summary,
And only winced a little bit
When I had to pay the fee.
But now I’ve nothing but regrets
And a lowered GPA
To show for what I paid AU
When I registered that day.
A pounding heart and shallow breath
And gritted teeth have I
As I click the link and type the code
And promise not to cry.
It’s nothing really, nothing much;
It matters not a bit;
I really don’t care if I fail—
I won’t throw a fit.
My heart’s not set on scholarships,
And 100’s not my aim;
A degree’s still a degree
No matter what score I gain.
I’m on the page. I must scroll down.
I must face what I see.
I’m sure I’ve got a crummy C,
Or even a lowly D.
My eyes skip over comments made
By the tutor I didn’t like.
I’ll come back when my eyes are dry
To see what she doesn’t like.
The final breath—my insides roil—
I see it now. Hooray!
I really did enjoy this course,
Don’t listen to what I say!
For what do I see
In front of me
But a shining, glowing,
A!