The Homework Assignment

There are no superheroes,
no one to save the day.
If that is what you hoped for,
I’m sorry it’s that way.

No Superman or Batman
can help you with this mess.
The only one here with you
Is me, no more, no less.

But I will try to help you
if you will trust in me.
Will that be quite enough though?
We’ll have to wait and see.

So show me what you have here.
It’s been a long, long time.
I never was a math whiz,
not even in my prime.

It looks like you have fractions.
Well, that can’t be so bad.
Yeah, maybe I can help you.
Just trust your dear old dad.

So let me sit here with you
and show you what to do.
Hey, maybe it is easy,
like adding two and two.

The number on the top there,
they call a numerator.
And that one down below it
is called denominator.

The trick with adding fractions?
Just make them look the same.
You match the bottom numbers
and then you’ll win the game.

So let’s try one example.
Let’s see what we can do.
If I can make this happen
then you can do it too.

Umm, maybe I’m mistaken.
I seem to have this wrong.
Or maybe they have changed things;
it’s been so very long.

I don’t know what I’m doing.
I think I made things worse.
Forget what I just whispered;
It isn’t nice to curse.

You know I’d like to help you.
I did the best I could.
But when it comes to fractions,
I guess I’m not too good.

So when you’re doing homework
and it’s not going nice,
just listen to your father
and take his wise advice.

Go ask your mother.