On an extremely exhausting day

On an extremely exhausting day,

Two students stood at my gate.

"Hello sir, we are here for the class!"

Their voices, glad, despite the wait.

"Didn't you hear, it's cancelled?", I said,

Masking my exhaustion with a smile.

Ten hours of teaching and meetings,

And now, this, to break my evening lull?

But the kids had walked here, my heart reasoned,

To learn English, like I told them to.

And so I left them to learn on their own,

Instructing them to read the book through.

"Knock on my door, if you need any help",

I returned to my room, seeking rest.

But just as I laid my head to the bed,

I heard the voices of my young guests.

Left to themselves, they began reading aloud,

Correcting each other, starting over.

Their voices soared above the weight of the day

Pried open, my eyes began to water.

The teacher's job does not end after school

It's not limited by its menial pay

This I learnt, as I abandoned my rest to read

With two students, on an extremely exhausting day.