Devilish Games


Bored and looking for something to do?
We could play around to see the afternoon through,
Pin a tail on the donkey is always so lame,
Let’s instead go and create a new game,

Winding up dogs so they bark to annoy,
Go bully the weak little orphan boy,
Chase pigeons and squash them flat with your foot,
Catch a white cat and cover it with soot.

Play knock up ginger on the old widow’s door,
Pinch a few sweets from the newspaper store,
Keep a watch out for the boys dressed in blue,
Otherwise they will surely collar you.

Ride in a wheelie bin down the steepest street,
Playing with matches will turn up the heat,
Slashing some tyres is a deflating event,
The world is our playground; heavenly sent.

 — Philip Wood