"To the Pencil Lying in the Grass Behind the School"

Some of you may know that I like to do Bring Me poems with my students. If you are unfamiliar with this type of poetry, please refer back to one of my others ("Ode to My Dorito Crumbs" or "Plea to the Lonely Fruit Chew I Found This Morning") as I am tired of typing the same instructions over and over when I reuse things. That, and I'm just flat out lazy today. Anyway, I first wrote this draft back on May 18th but have only just returned to it.

Cast out number two pencil,

student-abused and stress-bitten,

splintered in the anguish and exhilaration

of the latest failed math test,

Bring me your determination

to remain straight,

your resolve to function

despite being broken,

your endurance

notwithstanding being shattered

against unrealistic standardization—

long after your nubbly pink eraser

has been rubbed out

and your graphite potential spilled to the ground.