Ben Newell

No Talking 

I taught 
high school English for one day, 
more than enough to know the job 
wasn’t for me; I must’ve told them
to pipe down a gazillion times; 
come last bell I was in bad shape, 
my throat raw, my voice reduced to
a painful rasp; no wonder we keep 
hearing about teachers having sex 
with their students; after six periods 
of ear-splitting chaos it must be 
highly cathartic to plug one up;
even the gabbiest, gossipmongering
cheerleader will find it hard, if not
downright impossible, to talk with
her mouth full.

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