'Work Experience' Classes

"I Have to submit my work tomorrow"
the previous night, my son desperately cried.
"Give me something to take and show
as I cant make any, though I've tried"

This same scene is repeated
end of every month, without fail
and he comes to me frantically
at the last minute, to get bailed

Imparting a skill was in the school's schedule
and supposed to be taught by the staff
So, I asked what was done each week
during the hour which was set aside for craft.

He admitted he had a class each week
and it was called "Work Experience" too
but his teacher just corrected papers
while the kids did whatever they wanted to do

It seems they just had to bring something
and appear to be working on their own
And so long as they looked busy
The teacher didn't bother and left them alone

I asked him what he did with that time
and what the other children do
He said most - like him- read books
or played, fought and argued

And if she looked, he cut some thermocole, 
so the teacher wouldn't get terse
Looking at my aghast expression
he soothed me saying others were worse

He said - when asked how that could be -
"At least I take thermocole and have a life line.
While most of them forget to bring
and when she stares, they have to cut mine "

And scornfully added  ******  was the worst
he always forgot and would gulp and blink
and the last time the teacher glared -
he took a tennis ball and coloured it with ink

I asked, dumbfounded, how that was worse
than chopping thermocole, like him.
He explained patiently, with school boy's logic
to an adult who seemed especially dim -

"We always use that ball during lunch,
when we play cricket
So all our hands got messy with ink
That silly, stupid, idiot"

My husband suggests we send vegetables, instead
and he can regularly chop us a bunch 
And when he has to give in his work-
he can honestly submit his lunch !

~ Shanta ~

More Poems By Shanta

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