It’s been a rough year for most of us, in more ways than one.
But there has been comfort in the fact that we were all going through it together–the staying in doors, the wearing masks, the endless meetings on Zoom.
So when one 7-year-old wrote a poem expressing his dissatisfaction with online schooling, literally everyone on Twitter ecstatically agreed.
The child’s babysitter Julia posted the anti ode online last year and instantly went viral.
POV you’re seven pic.twitter.com/T7fNu1pn5Y
— Julia🤳 (@wild__rice) February 8, 2021
Here’s the text…
Boring online school
Today is just another day
in a long line of days
staring at a dumb screen
Just boring boring
online school that’s the
only thing that did happen
it’s the only thing that is
happening that’s the only
thing that will happen
So many people commented their concern about the boy that his baby sitter felt compelled to elaborate that he wasn’t depressed or in danger.
lol a lot of you seem very worried about him. I️ promise he’s healthy and very loved and this is a rough time for everyone. we’re both having lots of fun reading all your little takes on his poem
— Julia? (@bugtypepokemon) February 8, 2021
She went on to explain that this was an assignment for school, and I personally loved that she described him as snarky, because it feels like something I would have done in college, rather than first grade.
lol it’s an assignment for class he wrote and read out loud to be snarky. he has a breadth of hobbies and interests and is a brilliant, deliberate, and prolific writer. I️ am his fun, cool babysitter not his mother. he co-signed the tweet
— Julia? (@bugtypepokemon) February 9, 2021
Many of the more literary minded Twitter users were impressed with the artistic nature of the poem.
Excellent poem! Express yourself through art. This is therapeutic for both the artist and the person experiencing the art. Bravissimo!
— Viridescent Ifrit (@greendjinni) February 10, 2021
I’m guessing they were English majors like I was.
This 7 year old (a) utilizes repetition effectively to emphasize his purpose (b) makes a relatable statement and (c) ends with a rhetorical progression of verb tense in comedic triples to solidify his stance.
This is actual creative writing and should be encouraged.
— Sonny Romeo (@monopSonny) February 9, 2021
Others took the poem and played with it, putting their own spin on the form, such as this one, which distilled the poem down into one perfect Haiku that encapsulates 2020.
As a haiku:
Boring online school
Today another day in
A long line of days— K. ?? (@kpp1967) February 9, 2021
While others cleverly compared it to well known classics:
Life’s but a walking candle, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more ?
— Rebecca Urato ☭ (@RebeccaUrato) February 9, 2021
And still others compared it to funny things other children have done, both in the distant past:
same energy pic.twitter.com/i1uCCEJrU8
— olivia (@gleepforever) February 9, 2021
And more recently:
same energy radiating from this note my daughter wrote my son pic.twitter.com/n90zyyS0yI
— flashman (@flashman) February 8, 2021
The poem evoked a lot of visceral feelings about life amid the pandemic.
It raised debate over the merits of online schooling and the fact that kids generally feel just as bored sitting in a desk in person.
But as someone who loves working from home, and at the same time despises the endless hours of meetings, I felt this poem in the very depths of my being.
As one user expressed so clearly:
God I relate to this right here so much it makes my soul scream!
— Sax Headroom (@SaxHeadroom) February 9, 2021
What do you think? Did his poem make you feel seen, or just make you a little bit sad for kids these days?
Let us know in the comments.
