Ticks out the tedious time
In slow and measured strokes.
The youth’s blue eyes glance slowly,
Wearily along the lengthy line
Of graceful 2’s and 3’s,
And now and then the jerky scratching of his pen
Disturbs the gloomy silence of the room.
The Autumn sunbeams flicker oddly
Through the uncleansed panes
And fall athwart the fine-ruled ledger page.