If yours was the desk
behind hers
you could watch
all through arithmetic
Lois twisting one
of those golden curls
around her finger
see it spring back
to join the tight others
that her mother
must have pinned up
on Sunday nights
since all week
they grew looser
although still beautiful
and despite your
terrible envy
you could feel that curl
become your own thought
that drew out
was reshaped
released
so you sat up straight
with the answer