Villanelle:

In ourselves we strive to learn

If my grades fall… 

My soul yet unburned

My grades made my eyes puffy and burnt

One day I hoped my dream college would call

In ourselves we strive to learn

A second chance, I yearn

To once more stand high and tall

My soul yet unburned

My lecturer’s and lectern quite stern

No hop and pop of questions and conversation with a ball

In ourselves we strive to learn

In class, my mind travels for curiosity to return

My eyes travel from the board to the window outside seeking a challenge to creep and crawl

My soul yet unburned

To escape my fears, I dream, I yearn to dive into the freedom river Kern 

Instead I walk back into the wretched halls

In ourselves we strive to learn

My soul yet unburned