• In neat rows the students sit,
    Hands fidgeting, feet twitching.
    The hall is hot and the air feels stuffy
    As the clock goes tick-tick-tick.

    At final assembly the headmistress drones on;
    The victories, the defeats, the good and bad times.
    Students glance and their gaze wonders
    To the black hands --is it time yet?

    Up on stage the headmistress scans
    To see bored students looking bland.
    She gave a fleeting look at her watch and nods.
    It is almost time, she thinks as she begins to end.

    As her final words start to fly into near-deaf ears,
    Eyes turn upward to the round face.
    Students sit at the end of their seat ready.
    The head mistress sets down year.

    And as the longest hand moved slowly to the 12…

    GO!