Street Games

Thud

I throw two red balls

at the brick wall of our house.

Thud

Charlie Chaplin went to France.

To show the ladies how to dance

First you do the rhumba

Then you do the kicks

Then you do the turnaround

Then you do the splits

Thud

Dad’s planting spuds,

‘Go and play out on the street’

I join the girls at the rope.

Eva Weaver, Chimney Sweeper

Had a wife but couldn’t keep her

Had another didn’t love her

Up the chimney he did shove her

Someone’s mam shouts, ‘Tea’s ready.’

One, two, three

The rope drops. Everyone goes

home. I drift off, not wanting 

to leave the game, and the street

goes straight past our house and three lamp posts

until it runs out of its name.