Early Thursday morning my teacher appeared with a frown on her face
And said with a positive look of distaste
You’re wanted in the principal’s room, my child
And on hearing this, I nearly died.

I got up with disbelief
My look was one of utter grief
If anyone’d given me a choice between hearing this news and
being hit on the head with the Rock of Gibraltar
I’d have gone for the rock-It’d be faster.

My dear friends and companions sorrowfully bid me goodbye
While all the time holding a handkerchief to their eye
Lest I should see their brimming tears
While my foes, smiling with glee
said to each other
He’s going to get it! Just you see.

With a heavy heart
And even heavier steps
I walked through the narrow, gloomy corridor
Which I thought I’d seen in the movies before
Yes! It reminded me of the passage leading to
the electric chair.

But I’d heard somewhere that only the good die young
And remembering all the past misdeeds I’d done
I reflected that maybe it wasn’t time as yet
For me to climb up into the heavenly jet
Who knows? Maybe I’d survive.

With a lot of trepidation
And an even larger amount of frightation
I hesitantly knocked on the door of the Principal’s office
Waiting for my inevitable doom.

Upon hearing the Principal’s reply
I gingerly walked inside
Treading like a cat on a hot roadside
I looked down at the floor
Muttering players to my Maker
When the Principal intoned
In a warm, clear baritone
Congratulations, dear Karan
For winning the poetry competition.