Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsiders, or the Poem.
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Ponyboy wasn't paying attention in class at the moment, but who could blame him? It was a bright and sunny Friday afternoon and he had a seat by the window.
"Ponyboy?"
Taken out of his trance, Ponyboy looked up at the teacher, "Hmm?"
The teacher sighed, " Since no one else seemed to remember their homework..."
Homework? What homework?
"...why don't you tell the class the poem you decided to memorize?"
Oh yeah, that homework. They were doing that every week now. They had to memorize a poem and tell it to the class every Friday. Ponyboy had only two poems completely memorized, one of which he had read last week. So, taking a deep breath, he stood up...
"How doth the little crocodile improve his shining tail, and pour the waters of the Nile on every golden scale..."
Many students started to giggle .Ponyboy could feel his ears getting hot...
" How cheerfully he seems to grin, how neatly spreads his claws, and welcomes little fishes in, with gently smiling jaws.."
The giggles turned in to fits of laughter. The smartest kid in their class, maybe even their grade, had recited a child's poem. He sat back down, embarrassed. His cheeks burning.
The teacher smiled at Ponyboy, then back at the other students, " Well, at least he actually did his homework..."
The laughter died down shortly after that...
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