She wrote to me

Citing exemption from work.

Refusing to comply

Myself, feels a jerk.

“What is so wrong with the assignment as written?”

Already my nails, ragged and bitten.

“I’m offended by the ideas the film makes me feel. The questions it makes of my faith so unreal. It challenges my head, my heart and my soul. Surely, in this class, it can’t be the goal?”

I sighed, signed off and gave her a pass.

Knowing full well it could be my ass.

The Provost is looking to cut all the slack.

“Religious intolerance” would sure be the crack.

The easy, guaranteed way to the end.

Challenging a student who’ll artfully bend

The rules of the school to suit themselves so

As I face unemployment with nowhere to go.

For asking my student to try something new

And learning myself I’m a

Coward true.