2 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 2 + 1 = 11:
The teacher knew the number eleven
was not the correct mathematical sum
He looked at the faces of his puzzled students,
back at the problem scribbled in chalk
Neither was the number ten a plausible result
He could not account for the missing integer,
nor the aggregate of his life so far:
Monica, Carole, Suzanne, Julia, Maggie,
war, rage, kisses, birdsong, morning
He left the number eleven as he wrote it