there's a kid near the front of the class, top of the class.

she knows the answer, but she stays quiet, keeping them quiet.

she knows if she raises her hand, raises her voice,

the groan, the moan, the insulting intone of

"OF COURSE"

will ring out from the back like it's already ringing from the back of her mind.

 

because "smart kids" have it easy.

because the world sneers when they do succeed

and cheers when they don't.

 

there's a kid near the top of the class, front of the class.

she's fine with her score, not keeping score.

she knows she has done all that she can, the best that she can,

and yet the world shouts

"MORE"

and yet the world shouts

"LESS"

all at once as the students beg for her scores to be revealed, but maintain that revealing is indecent.

 

because "smart kids" have it easy.

because the world sneers when they do succeed

and cheers when they don't.

 

there's a kid near the back of the line, end of her line.

she waits, dreading the answer, then dreading the question.

she has learned to fear failure, but hate success,

and she can't find the middle ground, the happy average with all the happy, average people

who envy her and hate her, but measure their success in HOW-MUCH-BETTER-THAN-HERs.

 

because "smart kids" have it easy.

because the world sneers when they do succeed

and cheers when they don't.

 

there's a kid at the end of her line, back of the line.

she doesn't speak anymore, more of any taunting would drive her insane.

and their language, body language all screams

"JEALOUS"

and she doesn't know how to say she's hurt by their actions and words because the

"OF COURSE"

still rings in the back of her mind, back of the class.

 

because "smart kids" have it easy.

because the world sneers when they do succeed

and cheers when they don't.