The Test

I know that many of you are in the process of giving standardized tests to the students. To lighten things up a bit, here is a poem that will appear in my new book which will be out in about a month. The title of the book will be There's a Giant in My Classroom and other poems from around school. I hope you enjoy this.

The Test

Today we take The Test.

I sit up straight in bed.

I’m trying not to be nervous,

But my body shakes with dread.

Today we take The Test.

You know the one I mean.

Where you fill in all those bubbles,

‘Cause they’re scored by a machine.

Today we take The Test.

Mom’s trying not to harass me.

She says, “Just do your best!”

She means, “Please don’t embarrass me!”

Today we take The Test.

We do it every year.

Number 2 pencils in hand,

And tongues all thick with fear.

At nine we start The Test.

Choices A, B, C or D.

A,C and D all look right,

So the answer is probably B.

Time is running out on The Test.

Now I’m really getting tense.

I’ve answered two hundred questions,

But only six made sense!

And now we turn in The Test.

And sigh with great relief.

It will be another year

Before we repeat all this grief.