Direction Overload
I’m always being given directions.
At home:
How to behave properly
How to speak politely to my stupid sisters
Clean my room, take out the rubbish
Feed the dog
Dry the dishes
Obey the rules!
At school:
How to improve my grades
How to set out my work neatly
How to get on with girls
Obey the rules!
There are also directions
On what not to do —
Not to wear my cap indoors
Not to use cuss words
Not to talk in class or call out
Not to break or even bend
The rules!
Often I feel like getting other directions:
The way to another home
Where there are
No jobs
No stupid sisters
No rules!
And I’d like directions to a school
Where there is
No homework
No bossy teachers
No girls
And guess what?
NO RULES!
Dianne Bates
- Submitted in response to Poetry Prompt #18