“Information is a lot like water; it’s hard to hold onto, and hard to keep from leaking away.” -Ruth Ozeki

Okay so I’m dead from preparing for my AP test. And right now, this is how I’m feeling. RIP me.

Recently I’ve been told to carry an ocean.

To wrap my arms around it,

And not let a single drop fall.

They say I have more time now

So it should be easy.

But a few extra hours a day

Won’t make my bucket any bigger.

.

I’ve managed to swallow a lake.

I feel accomplished until I realize

That’s only a fraction

Of what I’m meant to absorb.

Yet I’m bursting at the seams.

Streams of water are leaking out,

And can’t hold on any longer.

.

At the end of the year,

they want to see how much

I have left.

How much I managed to

retain.

Slowly I uncover

A small glass

Partially filled.

I tell them it’s halfway full

Because I need their mercy.

But they take one look,

and declare my feeble attempt

halfway empty.

.

After my failure,

All I managed to keep with me

Was one small droplet

That evaporated a second later.

And next year,

They will expect me to carry another ocean

On top of the one they assume

I’m still clutching

From a year ago.