Breathing Room

Don’t Bother Raising Your Hand

Glasses on the crook
your eyes glancing over the books,
eyeing and sizing those in the room
to see if you know more from the loom.
You can weave words of wonder,
or create responses in the room as quick as thunder,
loudly and boldly proclaiming their knowledge -
and to think, this is simply college.
You thought it would be harder,
studying in a topic so broad
that there are many different uses for language,
namely, not a garage.
A smug little smile creeps over your face,
you’ve shown what you know
you’ve proven your case.
It’s simple, yes quite simple indeed, this language
that those in the room are studying in, knee deep.
A praise, a question and then further your answers
to show the room that you are quite capable of slander -
but we all know you by now,
you are the “know it all” who sips coffee and scowls,
as hard as a biscotti and hot as the chai
you get on my nerves with every hour, with every sigh.  

- Derek Ellis