The scent of failure
A true tale
Teachers nail screech an erie warning as they slowly rake across the worn chalk board, a gravelly nicotine voice croaks out, “Is that your answer?”
While blurry eyes of innocence stare at the white squiggly lines, quickly calculating the odds of correctness.
An apathetic hair twisting grip to the occipital, warns of imminent cranial contact against an immovable object.
Soon salty tears of despair pour and trickle past quivering lips.
A chalky dust rises, smothering nostrils with the choking scent of failure, informing the student ... eight plus seven is not fourteen.
This is how I and my grade one classmates learned how to do math. Lined up in front of the chalkboard with mathematical equations placed in front of you. The teacher would slowly walk behind us. If you suddenly found your forehead smashing into the board, your answer was incorrect. I still shiver when I smell the scent of chalk.
About the Creator
JBaz
I have enjoyed writing for most of my life, never professionally.
I wish to now share my stories with others, lets see where it goes.
Born and raised on the Canadian Prairies, I currently reside on the West Coast. I call both places home.
Comments (18)
Sounds about right! Sheesh! 😳 What a cool and fresh idea for the challenge JBaz! 😊 👍
Mmm, you transfered all the emotion in a direct and emotional way. Teachers leave the kids alone. As an ex teacher I send you my love and please forgive the others and like me.
Gosh, I felt this deep in my body
What a terrifying way to teach! I am tempted to adapt it to the modern, university classroom, of course, but perish the thought!
My god.............. this is horrifying, I mean tis the season but shit... I'm sorry this was a reality for you!! Poem was terrifying and brilliant as ever, but damn.... I might have to request a terrifying autobiography from you at some point, now.
Hi Baz (Thank you again for reading ‘Dissociation!’) Have hearted and subscribed. You set the scene of foreboding in your first line ‘The teachers nail screech as they slowly rake across the worn chalk board‘ - and my spine tingles - similar memories! Even within within this context you writing is not meek or withered, but filled with sensory descriptive language and a cadence that well suits the topic. Loved it! Pauline 🌸
That sounds horrific tbh 😳
Omgggg, your teacher was so horrible! If this was done now, I'm sure the teacher would be in hugeeeee trouble! You and your classmates must be so traumatised! 😭😭😭😭😭😭
Where on earth did you attend school? Pretty sure I'm older than you, but my school horror stories pale in comparison to yours! This is an exceptional rendering of a very traumatic experience, Jason. Although it is an excellent entry to the challenge, I am sorry you had to experience the abuse that inspired it!
Oh, woah! That’s traumatic! What a horrible experience you’ve captured in this piece. Very glad that is no longer an approved “teaching” tactic
This resonated so much. As someone with ADHD. Even the simplest questions with a tone of judgment or pressure can be so crippling to the brain
Boy were teachers brutal back in the day because they can get away with it .
The thought of this causes me to shudder. I cannot imagine being made to learn like this and having to deal with that trauma for the rest of my life. You capture the experience well, building the anticipation and delving the reader deep into the sensory details to anchor them in the scene. Nicely done.
What in the actual Hell??? Jeeze, learning was brutal back then! Now it's all emotional damage. Nice poem, not because it's a nice subject, but because it is well written :)
What the hell? I remember the yard sticks and the pointers across the knuckles, but that's a bit extreme.
Omg, that’s some life-long PTSD! Sorry you had to go through this, Jason!
Aww, the stress of being called upon in class and facing ridicule or punishment...those were the days, not! I could smell the chalk...great writing!
Oh, man, the horrors of the old school days! I remember them well.