(excerpt)

Spelling

by Marisol

Test time, and I cannot spell beak,
climb, speech, November.
It's the crazy words I remember--
the ones Ms. Mundy gives each week:
grunion, bunion, snooze, physique,
succotash, Zamboni, folderol, flounce--
wacky stuff that is fun to pronounce.
My parents don't get it.
They think it's absurd--
how do I get quetzal right,
but still mess up on bird?