Craig Rozniecki's "Middle School" paints the school hallway as a place ruled by fear. From the first day, students sort themselves into groups, and the bullies and jocks hold power over the geeks and band nerds. The weaker kids get shoved into lockers, pushed against walls, and made to do homework for others. Even the principal stays out of the way. The speaker seems to look on with sympathy for the victims, who grow hesitant, doubtful, and tongue-tied, while the bullies strut, spread rumors, and act as if no rules apply to them.
The mood is tense and bleak, helped by the short, relentless lines that pile up like blows. The bullies line up "militarily," while the nerds scatter, unable to stand together. The last lines deliver the twist: "Welcome to adolescence" turns into "Welcome to Congress." The poem suggests that adults in government are still stuck in the same schoolyard habits, refusing to "meet in the middle."