I, uh, know that it's supposed to be "scolding", not "scalding" - but that's part of the humor: seeing as the kid is cramming for his vocabulary test by concentrating on the spelling, not the meaning.
"But if you have to explain it," the saying goes, "it ain't funny."
This is a Prose Knights piece for Open Mic Knight.
Also note how I put "Writch's (example) Prose Knights" in the Subject field when I "submitted a new topic."
Intro:
Now I know some of you may have already seen it posted as "Writch's playful piece *SEASONAL!*" But I'm deleteing that post and re-posting here so that I have an example for people to follow an example.
I am also aware that this comes in under the 500 word mark, but its the quickest example I could muster with my harddrive being at home.
Notice its plain language and lack of versification - hence: Prose.
SCALDING
‘S’ is for steam rising up through holes between my scarf and my nose, fogging my view as I leave the warmth of the house to catch the school bus.
‘C’ is for crystals forming on my eyelashes and making my eyelids stick together –freezing shut just for a second – when I blink them, looking for kids down the street on the corner.
‘A’ is for me always putting things off until the last minute – like asking Mom for lunch money, finding and packing my books, and putting on a clammy coat and gloves, still damp from having to shovel the stupid driveway.
‘L’ is for my burning lungs as gulp frigid air though my mouth while jogging for the bus stop, now that I see my friends Mike and Jeff laughing at me while they pick up their stuff and start to bunch with the rest of the kids by the curb.
‘D’ is for the dry snow squeaking like squished Styrofoam under my boots as I run down the unplowed street and shout toward the dumb yellow bus already flashing its red lights, pulling up to the stop.
‘I’ is for I’m almost there, you idiot! Wait! (And for “I swear I’ll never read my comics while I eat breakfast or watch cartoons while I get ready for school…”)
‘N’ is for never getting a freaking break as the bus pulls away from the stop. It’s also for the nagging I’m going to get from Mom if I tell her I need a ride because I missed the bus again.
‘G’ is for my goddamned vocabulary test I forgot to study for last night and now I’m going to be late for now because I’d rather walk the rest of the 2 miles than let Mom know. And its also for the lousy grade I’m going to get on top of that.
S – C – A – L – D – I – N – G. Scalding. Is for the scalding I’m gunna get from Dad when he sees my report card tonight.