Our Misleading “X”

Why place an “X”

Instead of a pass

A pass is what I desired

When I was in class

I scorned an “X”

But appreciated a pass

They determined who came first

And who came last

Awards were given 

On account of the pass

But now an “X” decides

The parliamentary class

Why place an “X”

Instead of a pass

Seems an irony to me

I am aghast

We are told to vote

By placing an “X”

That “X” means a pass

In an election context

So while at school

I struggle for a pass

For the “X” is out of place

In any form or class

But in an election

They do anything for an “X”

And when they don’t get it

They get very vex

The more “X’s” they get

The better the chance

To pass the public’s examination

And their life enhance

So that we award a pass

By issuing an “X”

And that awardee can walk up

The parliament steps

  

Then what about his record

If it deserves an “X”

You see what I mean

It gets more complex

He may still get the “X”

Though his record shows “FAIL”

And that gives him a pass

And into parliament he sails

What a graduation exercise

When an “X” shows pass

And is allowed to put someone

At the head of the class

I don’t mean to confuse

Or mixed signals send

But that’s precisely what happens

When an election ends

The winner gets the most “X’s”

But he doesn’t get failed

Yet at school my several “X’s”

Only got me some wales

Politicians are rewarded

For the “X’s” they obtain

But the students suffer instead

All kinds of pain

We use our misleading “X”

As our confidential vote

To select a representative

In whom we hope

We set them up to fail

When we give them an “X”

And when they actually fail

We always get vex

A pass might be better

Since “X” stands for “FAIL”

But it might be too late now

To deal with such a detail

Stewart Russell © May 2018