when a smart kid cheats
you can tell.
not because the perfect score
or the eraser marks all over the paper.
but by the look on their face
and the pain in their head
and the sweat on their palms.

it's not as easy as you'd think
to scribble down a cheat sheet
or write on your skin
or look at someone's paper.

someone's always smarter.
someone's always better.

it's not the grade that makes me do it,
i swear.
it's my rank in the class
and the letters i'm not getting from that college.

it's the counselor telling me
that i'm a bright girl
but really, i swear
i'm not.

this is not 'academic dishonesty'
this is me telling you
i cannot take the pressure

i did not earn my 4.0

Don't blame society for being like this
we are society
blame yourselves.

We are the ones yelling slurs
and judging books by covers
and slamming doors in our parents faces.

Sure, they are the ones cutting class
and smoking in the bathroom
and cheating on the ACT.

But it's us who let them
who let them sit in the corner and ruin themselves
and ruin us.

2.2 million years of evolution,
and the best they could come up with?
You and me.

2.2 million years of evolution,
and the best they could come up with?
Primates who hate each other.

Your words struck me hard- though you never heard.
Now I am no longer your caged bird.

I guess our relationship didn't fare
It soothes me that new girlfriend looks like a pferd.

Keep lowering your standards, bae.
I'll be raising my gpa!

Enjoy being catfished
I've been reestablished.

I guess it was you that needed me,
I'll be reading under this tree.

Why- of all people would you hurt me? A nerd?
Your thoughts must've been blurred.

How will you manage in geometry?
That A is history.

Now go float away on your ****** canoe
Maybe it was me that was too good for you.

What
exactly
did
I
do
that
made
you
stop
loving
me?

Because
no
matter
what
you
did
to
me,
I
never
ever
stopped
loving
you.

you are an honors student
  but i'm failing this year
you are unaffected by stress
  but i'm consumed by stress
you are loved by all
  but they do not know me
you love presenting to the class
  but i get nervous in crowds
you are always so confident
  but you don't see what's under my clothes
you have such potential
  but you hardly know me
you can get better*
  **then why won't you help me

I see you daily
and I've come to realize
that nothing of you is flawed.

These past years
I have been privileged
to see you:
receive letters from division I athletics
blossom from the flower of puberty
and live in a gorgeous home.

But as I broke through your flawless facade,
I saw hurt and vulnerability,
I no longer saw perfection.

Your mother- lost to cancer,
your father- an angry man,
your siblings- hateful.

I have been puzzled
to see you:
deny admissions to division I schools
let your hair grow scraggly, your face become oily
and your house be foreclosed.

You are not what I thought you were.
You are like me
you are weak
hurt
abandoned.

You, like me, are not perfect.