Short poem captures why poor kids often struggle with school rules: 'Cause I ain't got no pencil'

A lot of things seem like basics and essentials until we realize they’re luxuries. A poet, Joshua T Dickerson, shared a heartbreakingly honest, eye-opening short poem titled, “‘Cause I ain’t got a Pencil.” In his post shared on February 14, 2026, he revealed in just a few lines how there’s so much more than what meets the eye when it comes to poor students at school. While many are unable to cope with the rules of a neat uniform among others, he shed light on how there’s way more beneath that is unbeknownst to us. It’s not laziness or irresponsibility surfacing; it’s a cry for help in the silent, bleak, and empty realities many struggling kids face. 

The poem was also shared by Protective Behaviors Resources to spread awareness and remind adults that some kids have more struggles than we can imagine. “I woke myself up, because we ain't got an alarm clock. Dug in the dirty clothes basket, ‘cause ain't nobody washed my uniform,” the poem began. It went on to picture a student getting ready for school while having almost nothing. After picking up his uniform as is, he brushes his hair and teeth in the dark since he has no lights. “Even got my baby sister ready, ‘cause my mama wasn't home,” the poem continued. 

It further visualizes a student getting his sibling and himself to school on time so they can get a “good breakfast.” “Then when I got to class the teacher fussed, ‘cause I ain't got no pencil,” it concluded. The teacher likely only sees that the boy has no pencil and presumes he didn’t come prepared. It’s not so much preparation but rather provision; he didn’t have the pencil to bring to school, and he was barely making it there with his sibling to get the best he could. In a post shared on Facebook by KidXpress, the author revealed that he was inspired to write the poem after a heartbreaking visual at a school. 

A child asked to borrow a pencil, and the teacher, presuming he didn’t come prepared, decided to add a punishment along with allowing him to borrow it. “The teacher said the student could borrow the pencil only if he removed his shoe and left it as collateral,” the post revealed. The student removed his shoe to reveal his dirty socks, only to be laughed at by students. “I wrote a story about what I imagined happened before that moment,” the post read, quoting Dickerson. In one of his older posts, he mentioned how this poem is crucial in educational institutions. 

“This poem is not an attack on educators. It’s a reminder to lead with compassion,” he wrote in his caption. He added that his words were to justify and support every sibling who is working hard to make it to school with his brother or sister, even through trying times. It’s for the child navigating poverty, chaos, or neglect—yet still trying. Not every student comes to class equally equipped,” Dickerson added. The author mentioned the need to shift perspectives and realize that sometimes, "laziness" is maybe “survival.” According to Kids Count Data, over the last decade, the rate of poverty in the United States has decreased by a small percentage. However, there are still 16% of children, that’s around 11.4 million kids, who are living in poverty as of 2024.

Growing up poor seriously impacts the quality of life and the entire mindset and every other aspect of a child. It’s not only hunger and physical issues but also discrimination, being left out, being made to feel inferior, losing out on academic and other opportunities, and feeling behind. Dickerson’s words echo aloud here. Sometimes, it’s not about a pencil; it’s a greater issue at hand. “Let’s check in before we check out,” Dickerson concluded. His message is a challenge to educators and others to reconsider before they blame and to support instead of criticizing. 

You can follow Joshua Dickerson (@joshuatdickerson) on Instagram for more content on poetry and emotion.

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