playing with children

are you playing with the children
making them count
are you taking them on a sunny day out

are you playing them a song
letting them draw
stubbing crayons orange blue lemon

are you giving away candy
sweatmeat floss
are you watching them jump
giggling with laugh

flying balloons for them
holding their hands
rocking on laps
telling fairytales to bedtime lads

and there’s a baby
it moves down the lanes
knocks on the door
That’s dingy and dark
he crouches on mud floor
tugs your shirt sleeve
you leave him lorn
and he quivers in weakly

out out
you shout
and babies disappear
and you never find them
while playing with the children
the children of us
he’s peering meekly
don’t spoil him with a rod
he’s on the road
he’s on the move
just shying away
away from you
he’s the children who play with you.