Abstract: A polymer composition that can be used to cure a novolac resin at a lower temperature than conventional novolac curing agents and with reduced emission of volatile compounds is disclosed. The novolac curing agent polymer composition is prepared by mixing and reacting in aqueous solution a phenolic monomer and an aldehyde in the presence of a basic catalyst to form an intermediate resin, and reacting the intermediate resin with an amine to form the polymer composition. The aldehyde to phenolic monomer molar ratio in the reaction should be at least about 1.0:1, and preferably is at least about 2.0:1. The preferred amine is hexamethylenetetramine, and it is preferred that the hexamethylenetetramine to phenolic monomer molar ratio is at least about 0.12:1. In a preferred version, the aldehyde is formaldehyde, and the phenolic monomer is selected from the group consisting of phenol, substituted phenols, and mixtures thereof, with phenol itself being the most preferred phenolic monomer.