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Ten months a year, alarms still ring
Five more minutes, the same old thing

Ironed clothes, polished shoes
The same familiar shade of hues

Mom’s voice reminding not to be late,
Her gentle push keeps my morning straight

Fueled by breakfast steady and slow,
Coffee warms as the morning flows

Rushed the bag towards the exit
Goodbye, carried passed the gate

Wheels turn as the car departs,
Windows frame the day’s new scene

Rain taps against the glass,
Umbrellas bloom as students pass

New voices drift in the hallway
Locker sigh in their own way

Crowds flood across the busy floor,
As I weave to find my learning core

Chalk screeches, sharp across the board
Introductions drag – my thoughts ignored

Wood curls fall in spirals,
Graphite dust clings for a while

Pages wait with a musty smell
Ink pools as their contents swell

Ten months a year, the cycle returns
Not heavy, but steady – each lesson earns

Poem by Gabriel Bondoc
Art by Alexandra Menor