did I miss anything?

What I wish I could say to my students when they argue with me about stupid transactional things like their grades late homework assignments or attendance. Learning becomes so mercenary in these tussles over minutiae, and it makes me crazy. 

Poem 013: Did I Miss Anything?

Nothing. When we realized you weren’t here 

we sat with our hands folded on our desks 

in silence, for the full two hours 

 Everything. I gave an exam worth 

 40 percent of the grade for this term 

and assigned some reading due today 

 on which I’m about to hand out a quiz 

 worth 50 percent 

 Nothing. None of the content of this course 

has value or meaning 

Take as many days off as you like: 

any activities we undertake as a class 

I assure you will not matter either to you or me 

and are without purpose 

 Everything. A few minutes after we began last time 

a shaft of light suddenly descended and an angel 

 or other heavenly being appeared 

 and revealed to us what each woman or man must do 

 to attain divine wisdom in this life 

and the hereafter 

 This is the last time the class will meet 

 before we disperse to bring the good news to all people on earth. 

Nothing. When you are not present 

how could something significant occur? 

 Everything. Contained in this classroom 

 is a microcosm of human experience 

 assembled for you to query and examine and ponder 

 This is not the only place such an opportunity has been gathered 

 but it was one place 

 And you weren’t here

—Tom Wayman

via {library of congress}