The Answer Struck Down In The Classroom Poem by Mary Angela Douglas

the answer struck down in the classroom
reels a little beside your desk, a stunned guest far from harbour now
out on the open sea, cast back to me
it whimpers a little
crumpled beyond duress
so you scooch over a little to let it sit down
and you both watch the clock stammer on
so much for this round
and can't hear a sound said afterwards clearly
struggling to hold back sobs
and watch the purple vest of the professor
who seemed so oz like in the beginning even jovial
so as
not to not watch his face
and try to recall the lines of that Shakespeare sonnet
when in disgrace…
your answer is weeping soundlessly now
you try to deflect the next arrow from the bow
try to catch
the chugging train of thought again concerning the miseries of
the holocaust and wonder if this class will ever end
and can we just go home now nameless friend,
my soul
and forget the whole thing
go home and just have a coke over ice and pretend
what you really wanted to do the both of you last summer
your answer and you
was to just help at home or go into the nunnery
and really you cant understand
why is it still April outside
with the birds singing
the people on those trains must have also felt
that way so maybe we learned something on this day
about peace, about wartime conditions
about the battle for erudition.
or how quickly, with witnesses and in broad daylight
oh my heart
with what irrefutable dispatch the archer can slaughter the mark.
mary angela douglas 13 september 2023