Liberation from Formal Education (A response to the themes of William Blake’s The School Boy) Ben Perkins, Year 12 The school-boy’s soul may finally wander Tears run at the news of the return to the unbound on the summer’s eve; shackles of the classroom Learning on, and learning from, the Flowing down the melancholy face of a vibrant pastures green generation His senses overwhelmed by nature’s Leaking water that won’t make the tulips sounds, he couldn’t believe bloom. Sprouting sycamore sprigs, brilliant How can he spend the day in dismay in colours for the first time seen the name of education? Where the birds did sing and With sore eyes and head bowed from the pleasantness convene. instant sedation. The school-boy’s soul may finally wander The school-boy’s soul must only wander unbound on the summer’s eve; bound, Learning on, and learning from, the Learning restricted to his insipid vibrant pastures green textbook, His senses overwhelmed by nature’s Desensitized to the dullness of the sounds, he couldn’t believe institution where his desolation is found. Sprouting sycamore sprigs, brilliant A decaying imagination, mental sabotage colours for the first time seen is undertook, Where the birds did sing and Where artistic conservation promotes a pleasantness convene. bitter outlook. Inner freedom escapes out the unlocked doors of perception A stream of consciousness pouring into nature’s flourishing rivers and brooks No more mandatory meetings at the crossroads of lies and deception, No more pencils, no more books No more of teachers’ scornful looks.