Marked Wrong
On scribbles, correction, and the voices we learn to keep
We learn, when young, that we must write a certain way. That we must behave a certain way.
Over time, the corrections stay.
✏️ ➖ 📝 ➖ ✏️
The red pen -
Crosses out -
My scribble -
Wrong.
Too unti -
Wrong -
dy.
Not neat enough.
Wrong.
Again.
✏️ ➖ 📝 ➖ ✏️
My red pen erases my wild scribble,
Too untidy on the page.
My red pen circles the wrong words
And they disappear
With the red ink
"You're too untidy."
✏️ ➖ 📝 ➖ ✏️
The sudden scribble
Cursive -
Frantic -
Pressed on paper
The thoughts -
Come -
As - i -write.
Proper -
✏️ ➖ 📝 ➖ ✏️
Original poem for National Scribble Day by Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin. AI tags are coincidental.
For Mikeydred's March prompt
About the Creator
Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin
Hi, i am an English Language teacher cum freelance writer with a taste for pets, prose and poetry. When I'm not writing my heart out, I'm playing with my three dogs, Zorra, Cloudy and Snowball.
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