Donal Mahoney

When Normal Norman takes his seat
in Room 220 in Dumbach Hall
to hear the eminent Dr. Engelhardt

recite Beowulf again,
Norman knows that he can suck
the boredom from the hour

if he can write a poem for his wife
better than the one he gave her yesterday.
This time, however, no poem comes

and so he knows that he must choose
one of the tricks he's used before
to drown out Beowulf again- to wit,

he can say the rosary till the bell rings,
sketch his wife's magnificent ass
or write something strange like this.