How To Graduate

Hours spent memorizing lines

And working

In desperate need of money

Hours spent memorizing facts

And working

In desperate need of time

A play

A job

A school

No time left for

A family

Or more than 

A couple hours a night

All that's left

Is time to cry

Mothers getting mad

And lovers getting lonely

The only visible results

Of all these hours spent

Memorizing

And working

Dark circles under beautiful blues

Golden locks gone dull

Perfect skin now too pale

Forgetting to eat

Bones poking through

The only visible results

Of all these hours spent

Memorizing

And working

Reviews

[red.evangeline]

I loved the structure of this poem; the repetition of the phrases "hours spent memorizing...and working" and "the only visible results" really emphasized the tediousness and the feeling of meaninglessness/going through the motions that tend to go along with school. It's definitely something that resonates with me.

[JD]

I think everyone can relate to this. It’s sometimes hard to find life’s balance isn’t it ? Hope your hard work has its rewards too

[Lydia Waldock]

I'm glad I get to graduate with you knowing what youll come up with after we are done with high school. Youll always have writing to fall on

[Louis McKraker]

i agree that this relates to all of us at some [point. For me it was a long time ago now, by my love for poetry that feels nostalgic to me in that way is always welcomed.

[Nolo Segundo]

A depressing poem, which means it is a good poem as so much of what we do in civilized society is a waste of both time and human spirit, just going through the motions. My only advice would be something it took me a long, long time to learn: see the eternal part of you as separate from all the mundane crap the world will throw at you-- then you will be the one-eyed sovereign in the land of the blind.

[Zayir]

This poem is relatable to everyone at one point of our lives. The hardest part of school is balancing social life/family/sleep/exercise/relationship. You are not alone, just remember that your mental/physical health is more important than school.

[Kate]

This poem is so relatable! This is really well done. Overall I really enjoyed this.