Marking

Red ink on black ink
What do students think?

Concise, to the point
Sentences.
A delight to read.
Easy to understand.

As opposed
To

Rambling, virtually incoherent
Monologues
Which aren’t really
Because
They quote ad nauseam
Their favourite writer
Or worse still
Don’t quote
But
Simply mention that
So-and-so said this-and-that
And like it or not
I
Neither agree nor disagree
With him/her/them
But it makes my essay
Look better
Even if you don’t think so,
So there.

Ah, marking
A joy and an excruciating pain
Both – at the same time.