Rough and Tumble Games

by LisaMay

As kids we grew
in suburb new ~
fresh start in our first home.
Rode bikes to school,
thought we were 'cool'.
Exploring, we did roam.

Outside we'd play,
rode far away,
went fishing at the lake.
In my lunch sack
my Mum would pack
delicious treats she'd baked.

Who could forget
the fam'ly pet?
I loved my fluffy cat ~
my comfort friend
with time to spend,
she purred upon my lap.

Playtime was fun
in summer sun,
Dad's big tent on the lawn.
In sleeping bags
we ate our snags;
ghost stories until dawn.

Fast billy carts
made from spare parts
and bits of off-cut wood ~
we'd zoom down hills
for our cheap thrills
throughout the neighbourhood.

I climbed tall trees,
and got skinned knees,
came home when I was called.
Clothes stained with mud,
and sometimes blood ~
my mother was appalled.

The games were rough,
we grew up tough,
firm friendships at the core.
We played kiss-chase
then smoochy-face.
I loved the boy next door.

Mem'ries don't fade
of games we played,
though I am old and grey.
Such fun we had ~
most good, some bad.
I fear for kids today.

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The Joy of Childhood contest entry

Author Note:
I had an Australian childhood, so I might need to explain a couple of words used in the poem.
'Snags' are sausages, usually cooked on a barbecue grill.
A 'billy cart' is a small homemade unpowered hill trolley, some might say a go-kart, like in the accompanying illustration (by Ellen Lee Osterfield).

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Memories of a tomboy childhood.

Rough and Tumble Games

by LisaMay

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