Lecturer's lament

Marking papers;

woe is me

How I hate essays to see

Piled high on the desk and floor

Flooding out and through the door

Such a boring endless task

“No more extensions please,” I ask

In my office forced to hide

From all contact from outside

Ignore all email, silence phone

Just me and essays all alone

I hear faint footsteps in the hall

Lost sounds of life behind the wall

Frantically with pen I write

(Some students will get a fright)

If only they knew referencing

(If only I could read this thing)

If only they would all just pass

And then I could leave here at last

As deadline looms I rail and cry

(Suspect promotion has passed me by)

Examiner’s meeting will have to wait

I’m working nights but grades still late

Oh save me please from this my doom:

I’ll never leave this wretched room

Originally written 2006