The Weight of School

by Nana Afua Ofori Baabu

A heavy sigh, my stomach twists.  

The books, the papers, the endless grind,  

A restless loop inside my mind.  

Deadlines loom like a shadowed fate,  

Teachers say, “Do not be late!”  

Assignments pile, my desk’s a mess,  

Each task a test of my success.  

Eyes burn red from sleepless nights,  

Chasing grades in fluorescent lights.  

"Keep pushing forward," they all advise,  

But I feel lost beneath the skies.  

The pressure mounts, it’s hard to breathe, 

Dreams of rest like fallen leaves.  

A fleeting thought of simpler days, 

When joy came free, not in essays.  

Yet still, I rise, despite the ache,  

Each challenge faced, each mountain quake. 

For in this storm, a strength is found, 

To stand tall when the world spins round.  

Though school is hard, I’ll find my way, 

One step closer, day by day.  

For stress may fight to take control, 

it can’t consume my growing soul.