Cheating

“Why,” the old nun asked us

with both gray brows raised,

“do you need to cheat?”

We’d heard this lesson

Before so often
we could have

Given it to her,

How bright we were

And talented, and how

With a little work

We could achieve all

That we wanted

And have pride

In doing it

Dave and I

Only grinned at each other

Nodded, but said nothing,

Knowing the old nun

Would never get it,

How Dave knew

He was a whiz at math

And me, a whiz at words

But what we always

Really wanted,

What we really worked

So hard to achieve

Was being good

At cheating,

and we took

great pride

in that.