Composed Upon Seat E11, May 23, 2013

[milo]

A less than serious view after completing a pretty awful poetry exam today. My rhythm is more than terrible, I'd appreciate a bit of help fixing it up :-)

Although we were told not to write on the desks,
perhaps this outcry would give you some jest.
It's 1:15 - we're ten minutes in,
the frantic writing will soon begin
But while candidates sit, and write, and complain
how will I ever love poetry again?

When put under watch and expected to write,
I don't know how someone could take delight
in the heartfelt ramblings of Rossetti and Clarke,
when all that concerns is a few extra marks.

The meanings are lost in the marking scheme -
Romeo, where art thou? (Exam paper three)
Scott would be rolling in his grave if he knew
of students striving for an 'alternative view'.

If my ignorant friends were as cultured as me,
perhaps they'd take notice - and finally see
while spotting out similes, the metaphors too
the integrity of writers has gone down the loo.

ok, here is a meter "touch-up" Mostly I just smoothed to iambic where I could, there are some spots I really couldn't without totally rewriting. There are an inconsistent # of feet/ line, I corrected where I could, but, once again, there were some spots I couldn't without taking some pretty serious liberties.

Let me know what else I can do to help.

Though we were told to not write on the desks,
perhaps this outcry would give you some jest.

this line, btw, is pretty contrived, I suggest you rethink it
It's 1:15 - we're just ten minutes in,

and soon the frantic writing will begin
But while the candidates write and complain
how will I love this poetry again?

When they post a guard to watch us write,
how could a person even take delight
in ramblings of Rossetti or of Clarke,
when all that really matters is the mark.

The meanings lose the war to marking schemes-
"oh, Romeo, where art" (term paper themes)
and Scott, he would just roll up in his grave if he knew
of students striving for an 'alternative view'.

If my shallow friends were cultured (just like me!),
perhaps they'd notice - and they'd finally see
that counting similes and trochees too
has sent integrity right down the loo.