Work Share - Lost Opportunities

My next few "Work Share" posts are based on an assignment which involved a "Creative CV". Based on a similar part in Stephen King's On Writing, the assignment involved writing three creative pieces based on events in our lives which shaped us as writers.

My first piece, Lost Opportunities, is based on the difficulties I faced when I was in Sixth Form, which was when I originally started writing as a hobby. I struggled with the jump from GCSE to A Level (for any American readers, these qualifications are the UK equivalent of High School). In attempt to capture a moment from this time, I settled on when I started the second year and discovered that the girl I had a crush on had dropped out. In an attempt to mix things up, I decided to present the moment as a terza rima (this was written not long after submitting the strict form assignment). Sorry, it's a bit of melodramatic teenage angst. But it's why I write; escape.

Aged 17, and all I get is strife
Sixth Form blows
I’d rather pick up a knife

There are highs with the lows
A girl who takes my breath away
Her smile melts the snows

Exams looming every day
I want to get them over with
There’s plenty more to say

More exams loom like a monolith
I want to ask her on a date
Anxiety makes that a myth

“I’ll ask next time I see her”, but it’s too late
I return to Chetwynd; she’s dropped out
I’m in an awful state

It demonises my growing self-doubt
Anger the system is inciting
“Fuck exams!” I still shout

But there is little to gain from fighting
So I often find solace in my writing.

Andrew Roberts, 2018.