We’re going to play
the game of one cat one kitten
(says Ruby).

You’ll need to be
a lot of characters,
because Gloria won’t understand.

You’ll have to be my Mum.
I’ll say, can I learn how to cook?
And you’ll teach me.

And I’ll run away
because the Mum’s food is yukky
— we won’t say gross.

You pretend to lie on the road
and be a kitten.
I find you and make you my pet.

The more time you spend writing this down,
the less time we have
to play the game.

*

Rachel McAlpine
Game invented by Ruby, aged 4 or 5