As Language and Literature students approach exams in the northern hemisphere, it can be useful for their teachers to reflect on all the valuable things they have taught their students. So, let's do it together, with poetry. Thank you to my excellent colleague, Diane, for sharing the link to the poem. And for the mirth it did bring.

The Lesson

Then Jesus took his disciples up the mountain


and gathering them around him he taught them

saying

blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

blessed are the meek

blessed are they that mourn

blessed are the merciful


blessed are they who thirst for justice

blessed are all the concerned


blessed are you when persecuted

blessed are you when you suffer

be glad and rejoice for your reward is great in heaven

try to remember what I am telling you

Then Simon Peter said

will this count?

and Andrew said

will we have a test on it?

and James said

when do we have to know it for?

and Phillip said

how many words?

and Bartholomew said

will I have to stand up in front of the others?

and John said

the other disciples didn’t have to learn this

and Matthew said

how many marks do we get for it?

And Judas said

what is it worth?

and the other disciples likewise.

Then one of the Pharisees who was present

asked to see Jesus’ lesson plan

and inquired of Jesus

his terminal objectives in the cognitive domain

and Jesus wept.

Don Linehan