Billy had yawned
all week long
as Mrs. Addison talked about
the Crusade of 1213.

And now Billy's history book,
where that chapter
had laid undiscovered
for so many years,
was torn in two,
its pages
blowing across the playground
(probably all for emphasis).
And Billy sat crying
with his nose bleeding,
while the big kid from the eighth grade
walked away -
still with Billy's ball.