Pencils Down

The paper is in front of me,

problem number one,

It's the easy one.

I rush through it, because I know all the answers.

But I never hear the right answer, because I am too busy saying "I am right".

So then I give up and I move on,

but this problem has more steps, more thinking,

and my mind is still on the first problem

and I keep adding more mistakes...

more problems.

So I slow down, try to understand all the problems,

try to solve it in my head,

but now there are too many problems,

and I don't know where to start.

Are the edges of the page getting sharp?

Are the lines on the page sticking to my skin,

the skin covered in panic,

the skin covered in tears.

I can't keep track of which problem I am on,

I'm still on the first one,

and I can't stop looking at it.

I'm avoiding everything else on this page,

"My answers are stupid!"

I start to erase,

and rewrite what I think,

but I can't take my answer back now,

I can't change the scratches, marks, and holes I have made in this test.

I can't take back the space that was wasted.

I can't erase the words that I wrote.

I can't explain all of my excuses...

"Pencils Down"

Because the time is up.

-Belle Rose

I Have A Secret,