Staunch

They said the lab supervisor had been something in her time,
apparently, so the old staff said,
could show the young ones a trick or two.
Legend lived on
even if half, was half true –
stunts and parties and trailing assignments late.
Had left uni aged 20 with child – unplanned
contraception Russian roulette in those days,
had two more,
returned in her 30’s completing a Bachelor’s
and then Masters.
Now oversaw year one – her commencement.

I handed in late, she raised an eyebrow and said
“ I’ll mark it now,
hmmmm,
yes
okay
not bad,
pretty good in fact.”
Then
“I could swear I’ve seen this before – copied,
she knew.

Reform, some do with revivalist fervour
some by mute,
others collude with the present, to evict the past.
She winked, crossed out 7 ½ and wrote 7 – out of 10.