The Perfect Student By: Nick Murray

Tommy, the genius boy,
never falling short of an A,
the all American boy,
spending hours, days, striving for greatness,
but how do grades measure greatness?

Taught from a young age,
straight A's are the key to success,
despite the toll it weighs on students,
the complete wreck some become,
nights without sleep,
nights of breakdowns,
nights of sorrow,
how could this method achieve success?


The boy with the perfect GPA,
becoming distant with his family,
because school is a bigger priority,
pushing away friends,
quitting sports that once gave him purpose,
so that one day, he can make it in this world
does suffering now pay off in the end?

But what about the boy with a terrible GPA?
will he make it in this world?
become successful?
be able to make ends meat?
be accepted?

Tommy is isolated,
graduated as valedictorian,
lost all of his friends,
lost contact with his parents in college,
hasn't seen his siblings in years,
was perfection worth struggle