Billy had neatly penned,
"Pass to Mary Ann,"
on the folded piece of paper,
which was now getting wet
in the palm of his hand.

"Henry the Eighth came to the English thrown in 1509..."

Before Billy could even think why,
or had time to talk sense to himself,
the note shot across the aisle
like a snake popping from a can,
and began its journey around the room.

"...and Henry married Anne Boleyn in 1533..."

Judy Jefferson had no respect
for the sanctity of the mail;
giggling like a noisy radiator,
she passed the note
to Mike Maloney,
not even folded back up.
But Mike was in the wrong direction
and Randy was headed away
and Jimmy wasn't really going to
but he did
and Brenda Beavers... Brenda -

Put the note on Mrs. Addison's desk!

 

 

"...and Henry executed Catherine Howard
by cutting off her head.

"I seem to have a note on my desk.
(Thank you, Brenda)
It says:
‘Dear Mary Ann,'
(must be Mary Ann Walker -
the only Mary Ann in class)
‘I love you.
Billy.'
(must be Billy Balinski -
the only Billy in the room)."

Billy felt like crying,
but that would only make it worse.
If only the Creature
would come out and eat him.
If only a spaceship from Mars
would blast him away.
If only he could bury his head
deep enough under his arms
and could no longer hear
Mary Ann saying,
"Ouuuuuu!"