a type of challenge

we count the changes as a sort of style
and do not stop to take the proper count
of our stale age instead the large amount
of empty words take us a country while
to sort we put each in its proper pile
of truest learning they are not the fount
but form a problem that we must surmount
while crossing over in a single file
we've not the time for joking nor for games
but must have answers ready for the day
and then be stalwart in the cause of time
before we give you cause to douse our flames
we come and find that we cannot now stay
for honest labour becomes here a crime