Ode to Teachers

When she said photographs are special pictures,
Her students began to snicker,
Teacher tried to reach her but slowly became embittered,
She longed to make a difference,
Shape minds and recruit an apprentice,
Instead they said we don't wanna take no stupid pictures,
To reach them today she'd skip the lesson plan,
Teaching standardized tests was hard for her to understand,
Excerpts and tricks instead of reading, writing, and arithmetic,
Every time the bell rings she gets a little sick,
Nauseous, cautious, and exhausted that the future's doomed,
30 kids and her in a tiny drafty classroom,
Budget cuts, its only Wednesday but she's had enough,
She tried to quit, but can't wait for lunch to grab a puff,
Menthols calm her nerves as she contemplates and finds the words,
To face the future, teach our kids, and boldly serve.