Presence Poem by Richie Sanchez

I walk into the classroom.
I do not know what others think.
I only do ask the teacher asks,
to place my thoughts on paper with ink.
I come to class as if it were a job,
head down and brow furrowed.
But why am I here?
Just to find one more thing to know?

I look at where I sit.
I didn't pass every test.
I‘m adequate.
But at least I tried my best.
Is it worth it to work hard at all?
Does it matter if I raise my hand?
It's not that I'm lazy.
At least have a little fun, but don't go crazy.

So I joke around.
A little bit, here and there.
Not so much as to cause a disturbance,
But I can't show the teacher that I don't care.
It's a good combination,
Working hard and hardly working.
I get what I need done,
but it's usually better with a little smirking.

I'm a clown.
I don't care what others think.
You can't bring me down.
Life is a game, and I'm in the rink.
I love who I am.
I wouldn't change for a thing, not for any amount.
But my time in school is almost over,
so I better make it count.