Before a Test

By Paul Wat

I sit at my desk,
Cluttered with papers,
Like flocks of birds rushing across the sky.

Blank Stares, frantic movement
Panic, Fear, Anxiety.

Dark, clumsy, scribbles
Dancing across the page
Mocking me as I interpret my penmanship

Worry, Regret, Misunderstanding,
The only expressions I hear

The quiet of the night
Silent like the moment before death

Flashing Lights
The Blinking computer Screen
Endless distractions
Hurdles in my path
Impossible to bypass

I struggle to concentrate
My focus breaking

I hear the earthshaking boom
12 times the giant stomped.
I pry open my eyes

All I hear is the sound of deafening terror,
The doom and misery of
Tomorrow’s Judging Day