A Teacher's Curse Poem by Folarin Akingbemila

A Teacher's Curse

The love be there or not
You find yourself in a class
The zeal be there or not
You begin to impart the knowledge

School owners treat you with disdain
They give you one heap of a work
Expect you to smile like a clown
Then give you pea nut for pay

The students see you as a plague
Someone they pray not to be
They see you as lesser than man
And speak to you like you're a maid

The parents will see you as broke
You don't have the right to correct
Cus their fees can pay you for months
You're not up to the status to speak

Society see you as cheap
Starve on your reward is in heaven
The beautiful things are above you
But garri and sugar for you

I wish no one be a teacher
At least in the country I'm in
No one deserve to be treated
The way teachers are treated.