Keep It Under Your Hat. Poem by Pamela lutwyche

If I tell you something
Will you keep it under your hat?
Yes, if it’s not sticky
Or anything like that


We might be having a puppy
In a day or two
But, keep it under your hat
I am not supposed
To be telling you.


“Mum, what are you and dad going to give Brandon for his birthday? ” Naomi wailed. “We might get him a puppy, but you must not, tell him, we want it to be a surprise, you must keep it under your hat.” Mum replied in a very serious voice.

That morning

As Naomi was waving her jam sandwich about and shouting, “You must keep it under your hat, ” Her brother Brandon thought he had to put the sandwich under his hat.
He tried to take the sandwich from her, but she ran around the table. Brandon ran after her, he grabbed the sandwich out of her hand and squished it in his hands.
He then put the sandwich under his hat.
There he stood with a big smiley face, his hands were on his hips and he then started walking slowly around the table.

“Mum, ” shouted Naomi, Mum came rushing into the kitchen.
“What on earth is going on”? Mum Shouted, “What’s all this noise about.”
Now sobbing, Naomi cried, “I was going to tell Brandon about the puppy we are going to have.”
Mum looked at Naomi and said. “I did tell you not to say anything to your brother didn’t I, that’s why I said keep it under your hat, ”

“Puppy, are we going to have a puppy? .”
Brandon screeched, “can we call him Inky?
Will he be black? will he be white or brown? can we buy him a red collar and a red lead? can I take him for walks in the park? Can I?
Can I?
He was so excited that he was jumping up and down and then his hat fell off. The jam sandwich fell onto the floor. His hair and his hands were all sticky. He stood there looking at his hands then at Mum and back at his hands again. Mum stood with her arm’s folded just looking at the mess, “Well, you can clean that up for a start and then.”


With a nod of her head
And an up turned eye,
Mum Yelled.
“BATH! ”