Child's Play. Poem by PAUL COLVIN

A thousand things we all can be
And most before it's time for tea
A million games go through our mind
Deeds and thoughts of every kind.

We're Kings and queens who rule the land
Whilst making castles out of sand
Then sailing on some foreign shore
Before we walk outside our door.

Flying high upon a swing
We're soaring birds with spread out wings
We watch the land go up and down
Before we jump onto the ground.

Then scale the walls with sword in hand
We fight the foe and claim the land
Or steal their ships and sail away
It's great to be a child at play.

No time to breathe we're surfing now
The waves of grass are surf somehow
A plank of wood's the board we sail
Be careful of the rusty nail.

We build a bogey from stuff we find
We have a cunning plan in mind
A wooden crate, wheels and reins
Ah, the thrill was worth the aches and pains.

A bedsheet hung on poles we'd bent
A marquee, or a tepee/tent
Now we're the Sioux, an Injun race
We make some mud and paint our face.

A feather stuck into our hair
Even us, we sometimes scare
We yelp and scream, let arrows fly
And pronounce that every Paleface dies.

We gallop back, poor tired souls
On horses made from wooden poles
Our tepee's now become our den
We'll have a rest, it's only Ten!