The Joke Is On You Poem by John Sensele

When six feet under we lie
Truants would scowl at the red ticks and crosses
Which in their homework hostels didn't die
Ministers, doctors, teachers, engineers and bosses

Would shed bitter tears
Missing stories and tidbits we shared
In classrooms denuded of function fears
We declared redundant because together we spared

No effort for Joseph and Josephine to understand
Concept, principle, procedure and process
That underpinned Mathematics in the blackboard brand
Our classrooms carried for us to access

The gist and twist of lessons we devoured
With gusto in the gravy we consumed
Every time our brains and fingers scoured
Nooks and crannies we never assumed

Hid nonsense cos essence and sense
Pervaded space and time treasuring
Bonds we built with neither defence nor sentence
Out of place as we ran rings in the string

Savvy brought along in the pleasure
We sampled and pampered
Striving in droves to treasure
Knowledge and skill no obstacle and hurdle hampered

As as shouted ‘Spare us the charcoal
You intended to cast in the grave
Where from six feet under we heed the call
To live forever in peace because we died brave.'

The joke is on you
If you don't mend your ways
You'd remain last in the queue
To reap rewards from redemption rays and salvation sprays.