THOUGHTS ON SCHOOL EXAMINATIONS

Alone in the church hall, silence until the rush of traffic resumes
Here they sit, rows of pupils attended by rulers, pens, string and thoughts
Each one locked in mental isolation. Some fall asleep with the acute boredom of it all.
You can divide the species of examinees in two, the frantic nervous deliverers of every piece of information they have ever heard
And the blase, either very bright or stupid -
Finished in half the appointed time.

As I sit and invigilate I wish I could tune in to their thoughts.
It is so infinitely boring, dull and soporific being an invigilator
Little realising her resentment at being there at all
At her total ignorance of the examination in hand
At her longing for a nosebleed or an epileptic fit to pep up the three dreary hours.
For many careers will begin and end in the church hall.
How important we have told them all it is.
What a farce! It's just a test of strength.
If they challenge us, we'll put them down.
Not for us the original answer.
Give us this day the standard reply
Or be it on your own examination failure.

Here we all sit in the church hall
Isolated, disparate units and the traffic runs on eternally.