blessing for graders

All night with your quill scritch-scratch
phosphoric comments to cajole
ridicule, criticize, belittle, insult,
remain unwritten. Kindly, willowbending
fingers paint a picture of valiant struggle
(epic tragedy, no less).

Your eyes arcing toward the target, dear
child, but like the hare--
faithful, deliberate, mindful of the rules
you are not--
your racing finish fell short, took too long,
meandered through: no doubt alchemic
caffeinated cannabis hazy self-confidence
and catastrophic procrastinate-
ing the letter I write boldly here below.

Though fate was against them,
still woefull beseeched I hear through
Helvetica, Times, Aldale Mono MT.
You bore their burdens as once we lifted them
upon another's toughened hide;
complicit glances into each idolic experience
a term paper exhausts. Courage.