Stuff knowledge into their heads

cramp it in there until their eyes

beg you to stop

plead with you to let them up for air

then review, review and review

some more

because they have to know it

they have to know it all

and then stuff some more into their head

Make sure they know their subjunctive clauses

from their subordinate clauses

how and when to use a semicolon

what a colonoscopy

and how an author’s background shaped

his choice of dessert or

the fifth word in the second stanza

they want to learn

need to know how to think

so the next command is to

challenge

but not too much

or too little

Shove them into rooms filled

computer screens

and cardboard blinders

put headphones on their minds

and figurative corks in their mouths

pray that they will rise to be wizards

and sorcerers of knowledge

let the scent of vapor cream

pry their sleep exhausted anxiety riddled minds away

for a ninety minute knowledge dump

because everything is riding on

an assessment

when they finish

prep them for the next one

rinsing and repeating until the end of school.