The Stuff of Their DNA
by David C. Brand
Like vultures they gathered around his desk
demanding their GPA
be raised in light of the unfair test--
not graded, but certain they say,
to ruin their record before it starts.
How dare him-that man in the gray!
No matter that after they'd taken the test,
he'd taken their thoughts away
from the pain of disgrace--
he tried to replace
it with lessons of DNA,
'cause the stuff of the test
in their thoughts was the best.
How
dare him-the man in the gray!
If they only knew how close they had come
to the stuff of the matter so pressing,
of babies left dying,
strong consciences crying,
of Roe versus Wade-how
distressing
"Aristotle," he said,
(though long since been dead,
and carcass to vultures now fed)
"had provided a clue"
(if they only knew)
"more important than GPA."
Of matter and form he expounded to them,
and even how babies are made,
but it slid right by
and did not turn an eye
to
the stuff of their DNA.
"We want a retest!"
Was their only request,
and the man in the gray stood there guessing
how students so focused on GPA
could miss such a wonderful blessing,
how students so focused on GPA
could miss it so badly when they
missed the point of their being
in class that day-
the
stuff of their DNA!
On Monday they gathered again at the site
defending their GPA issue:
"If you don't give us credit
for issues of debit,
this
college is going to miss you!"
That Monday, when gathered again at the site,
to protest their own non-existence,
their GPA issue now in his hands,
they
need instructor's assistance.
But of issues at hand
of form and of matter,
they questioned the norm
and clung to the latter.
"But matter without form"
Aristotle had said,
"left one in the morn
as
nothing but dead."
The instructor would gladly
consider their plight.
The issue at hand
he'd pondered all night.
When students major in GPA
and clamor for special assistance,
while ignoring the lessons of DNA,
they plot their own non-existence!