Yes, the Hesperus will eventually sink if the brain stops thinking about it, and its retrieval strength will inch toward zero. But a third test, and a fourth, would anchor the poem in memory more richly still, as the brain—now being called on to use the poem regularly—would continue its search for patterns within the poem, perhaps pulling up another half line or two with each exam. Will it all come back, with enough testing, even if only half was remembered the first time? Not likely. You get something back, not everything.
