Education, noun.

The process of receiving or giving systematic instruction

Usually in a school or university, according to the oxford dictionary.

So why has it turned us to mindless obstruction

Of an individual’s peace?

Why are students’ intelligence measured by their ability to do as their told

If animals’ intelligence is measured the same.

Why do the words “college applications” fill students with cold-

Fear? After all, college acceptance is like the Hunger Games

And who wouldn’t want to escape our reality.

With a sense of finality we now clearly see

We must get sleep to do well, yet study much to excel

And to study, staying up is the key and we never waste free

Time but we must have a social life. It’s good for us.

An A for our grade yet a D for our trade

Since an introvert is doomed to fail

By the need to repeat again and again

What they will say when they thrust their hand flailing

Into the air and attempt to speak with no apparent care

Until the tremor quite wavering gives them away

After all most of them sit as quiet as can be

Seemingly inattentive, with less than naught to say.

And on their report card that shining red mark of a failure.

With the weight of their books breaking their back

And the weight of their work breaking their mind.

A main course of breakdowns with a mouth burning side of anxiety attack

Drudging to do well and yet pushing to excel.

A young child’s curiosity flutters briefly around

Flying around with hardly a sound till it burns.

It burns from the gaze of the endless days of mindless work driving students berserk.

So from burning curiosity turns

A child to counting down the minutes watching the clock hand’s fluxion

A child counting their life away.

Education, noun.

The process of receiving or giving systematic instruction