an unsharpened no.2 pencil--with a

half-chewed pink head, nary scalp itch.

pencils up...five minutes in, fifteen questions

of cardinal truth.

examination--subject: nondescript, grade:

nondescript, ambiguity: satisfactory.

pupil slowly drags his chair backward--after

holding both hands up for permission.

the wooden board soring his ***, remains studded

underneath, with undetected gum-chewing.

he walks to the front of the classroom, & places his

no.2 pencil in a manual pencil sharpener.

working it like a meat grinder, in this superimposition

of silence.

his teacher then excuses herself from a potpourri of

free ranging doodoo.

in a hail of reprimands--her pupil is banished back

to his test sheet.

where the excess of cleaning agents applied by the

school's custodian, probe his sense of smell made

vulnerable.

enter the metallic smell of blood.

as he undergoes a fountainous nosebleed--grabbing

the blank test sheet, to thwart the gush.

on sight...his teacher isn't sure whether to send him

to the principle, or the nurse.