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Poem 013: Did I Miss Anything?

The poem contrasts the perspectives of "Nothing" and "Everything" about what occurred during a class that a student missed. "Nothing" suggests that nothing significant happened in the student's absence, while "Everything" implies that important exams were given, divine revelations occurred, and meaningful lessons were discussed. The last stanza acknowledges both perspectives by questioning how something significant could happen without the student, but also affirming the classroom is a place for learning opportunities.

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Ashley Jane Macapayad
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212 views2 pages

Poem 013: Did I Miss Anything?

The poem contrasts the perspectives of "Nothing" and "Everything" about what occurred during a class that a student missed. "Nothing" suggests that nothing significant happened in the student's absence, while "Everything" implies that important exams were given, divine revelations occurred, and meaningful lessons were discussed. The last stanza acknowledges both perspectives by questioning how something significant could happen without the student, but also affirming the classroom is a place for learning opportunities.

Uploaded by

Ashley Jane Macapayad
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Poem 013: Did I Miss Anything?

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Nothing. When we realized you weren’t here
we sat with our hands folded on our desks
in silence, for the full two hours

Everything. I gave an exam worth


40 percent of the grade for this term
and assigned some reading due today
on which I’m about to hand out a quiz
worth 50 percent

Nothing. None of the content of this course


has value or meaning
Take as many days off as you like:
any activities we undertake as a class
I assure you will not matter either to you or me
and are without purpose

Everything. A few minutes after we began last time


a shaft of light suddenly descended and an angel
or other heavenly being appeared
and revealed to us what each woman or man must do
to attain divine wisdom in this life and
the hereafter
This is the last time the class will meet
before we disperse to bring the good news to all people on earth.

Nothing. When you are not present


how could something significant occur?

Everything. Contained in this classroom


is a microcosm of human experience
assembled for you to query and examine and ponder
This is not the only place such an opportunity has been gathered

but it was one place

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