At school I sat and stared at squiggles
Because I never read a word
Confusing shapes like spider legs.
Dunces cap cast its shadow
Enough to make ambition freeze
Failure seemed a certain end.
Growing, shrinking, twisting, curving
How could I make sense of words
Inspiration hovered round
Just out of reach, across a bridge
Kept away from me by nerves.
Love of story drove me on.
Maybe one day I would write.
No idea where to start
Opening books to begin.
Poetry awaited me.
Questions filled my childish mind,
Romantic notions, heroes tales,
Secret places hid in dreams.
Time ran on, escaping fools,
Under teachers piercing eye.
Visions were distracting me.
Wrong again. I muttered, stammered.
X X X wrong wrong wrong
‘You are very slow’ she said
Zealous whip above my head