Carl Staab
Period 7/8
12/15/00
A Little Box

There’s a little box
On a test
That everyone takes.

“CHECK HERE,”
it should say,
“FOR LOTS OF JUNK MAIL,
FOR PAMPHLETS AND LETTERS
AND VIEWBOOKS WITH PICS,
FOR FRIENDLY REMINDERS
AND LAST-MINUTE PLEADING.
IF YOU REALLY PLAN TO LEARN SOMETHING
YOU’VE NO HOPE OF SUCCEEDING.”

It should say,
but doesn’t.  And aye,
there’s the rub.

I wish I hadn’t
Checked a little box
On a test.