Instructions for a Maths
lesson
Entwine your right ankle
round the right chair leg.
Twist the chair back, jostle it
up and down.
Advance your pencil
slowly across the table
by blowing. Stretch your sweatshirt
up over your mouth and nose. Bend
the blue ruler across your face
side to side.
Yawn cavernously.
Pull your hair into a tight bunch,
twist slowly. Lean in across the table
until your centre of gravity is well forward
then push your chair with the back of your calf
to and fro.
Sit with your right leg crossed
underneath you so that the foot
catches the table leg and allows
the chair to pivot
back and forth.
When you absolutely have to,
write down the numbers,
add them.