Artwork by Raily Banta Laurel

Exam Gambit

Lycamae Penarejo

October 5, 2024

I stepped into the room, a mask of confidence worn,

Yet inside, doubt was born.

Before me lay a test, a dragon covered,

With Rizal’s legacy, my fate was revealed.

Wisdom fled, for TikTok held my gaze,

A siren’s call luring me into a haze.

With no time to cross the books of old,

My strategy? A dance of guesses bold.

“Describe Rizal’s role?” the first challenge loomed,

My thoughts a black hole, where knowledge is entombed.

I wrote “national hero,” a fleeting spark,

Hoping to mask my ignorance in the dark.

In the realm of the contemporary, I sought reprieve,

But geopolitics struck, my confidence was deceived.

“Define globalization?” I mumbled a line,

“It’s like Wi-Fi connecting nations.”

Clock tick threats as panic took flight,

My dreams of passing dimmed into the night.

So, I doodled and scribbled, a chaotic ballet, Praying the ink wouldn’t seal my fate today.

At last, it concluded; I released my despair,

A parchment of nonsense, yet light as air.

As I crossed the threshold, a smirk on my face, “Maybe I’ll study tomorrow—maybe.”

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