It's touching 90 in the shade,
and still the children play
a game of their devising.
Queening it, a girl receives their tributes:
sticks, wild flowers and branches, stones.
Gracefully she takes them, smiles
approval of the gift, and lays it down.
They bow or curtsy; in return
she claps her hands, dispatches them
on further errands. Obedient,
and seemingly oblivious of the heat,
they run or scoot or cycle,
fast as they can to do her bidding.
She, cool and other-worldly,
youngest of them all,
stirs not an inch beyond
the willow's deepest shade -
the little girl from India.
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9 comments:
Queen for a day? What lovely childhood memories you evoke with this poem, Dave. Delightful:-)
Sensible creature - that is why she is Queen!
If this is a true story Dave then it suggests that she had learned the sensible way to deal with a hot sunny day.
Kids are immune to summer's heat... sounds like lots of fun!
Children really often don't mind the heat. I didn't, I know, as a child. We didn't have air conditioning then. I was just USED to HEAT. I can picture these kids in your poem.
Kids have boundless amounts of energy no matter what the weather conditions sometimes, fantastic poem :-).
jabblog
I thought it quite delightful when I saw. Glad you do too.
Isabel
Must be, I agree.
Weaver of Grass
It is a true story, yes. I was impressed by the way she'd got it all organised so that she could stay in the shade - the one you might have thought would not mind the sun.
Laurie
Yes, they are also imune to cold, rain - and most else, I think.
Mary
Yes, I can remember cycling in hot weather, still wearing my roll-neck pullover - which had my cycle club badge embroidered on it.
Windsmoke
Absolutely, it's tiring sometimes, just to watch them.
clever girl knowing the value of shade! I am here in Colorado where it will be 100 today- I'll be in the shade also!
Make a note of her name - she might become Prime Minister in 30 years' time.
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