Did I Miss Anything? by Tom Wayman

[bitsofbeauty.livejournal.com]

    
     QUESTIONS FREQUENTLY ASKED BY
     STUDENTS AFTER MISSING A CLASS

Nothing. When we realized you weren’t here
we sat with our hands folded on our desks
in silence, for the full two hours

     Everything. I gave an exam worth
     40 percent of the grade for this term
     and assigned some reading due today
     on which I’m about to hand out a quiz
     worth 50 percent

Nothing. None of the content of this course
has value or meaning
Take as many days off as you like:
any activities we undertake as a class
I assure you will not matter either to you or me
and are without purpose

     Everything. A few minutes after we began last time
     a shaft of light suddenly descended and an angel
     or other heavenly being appeared
     and revealed to us what each woman or man must do
     to attain divine wisdom in this life and
     the hereafter
     This is the last time the class will meet
     before we disperse to bring the good news to all people
          on earth.

Nothing. When you are not present
how could something significant occur?

     Everything. Contained in this classroom
     is a microcosm of human experience
     assembled for you to query and examine and ponder
     This is not the only place such an opportunity has been
          gathered

     but it was one place

     And you weren’t here

Comments

[zagzagael.livejournal.com]

I am stunned by this. Bravo Wayman!!! Thank you SO MUCH for sharing.

[foreignthinks.livejournal.com]

I really liked this. Have passed it on to my high school English teacher.

[rymenhild.livejournal.com]

I've seen this a few times in a few different places lately, but it is absolutely fabulous.

[romanticxnight.livejournal.com]

Wow, this is really awesome!

[yelhsassim.livejournal.com]

i liked this and shared it

[bloodrebel333.livejournal.com]

Awesome.

[lifeisacabaret.livejournal.com]

Brilliant.

[a-love-era.livejournal.com]

love it!

[suspensionpoint.livejournal.com]

My English teachers always show me this. [insert eye roll here]

it sounds nice, and i get the point, but it's so damn pretentious.
it's just a matter of semantics-- 95% of people who ask it mean it in the same way as, "what did I miss?"

if you're THAT sensitive, you should not be a teacher. :l