Poetry Magazines - The best collection of poetry magazines online - Simon Armitage

Monday

There was a mighty bang
As the ball bounced off the ceiling
And into the basin
The new electric lights were switched on.
They glittered like the sun

Tuesday

The morning was cold and dewy.
Unfortunately the ball had been left outside the previous night.
Water droplets had gathered on the ball
And it was enveloped in mist.

Wednesday

Green mould began to appear on the damp ball
For it had not been cleaned.
New kinds of blue and brown moulds
Began to grow amongst the green fluff.

Thursday

Lights were installed.
The bright lamp was lit during the day
And a torch was used at night.
The ceiling was full of holes
Which let only specks of light into the dark room
And gave a starry appearance.

Friday

The ball was left out in the garden again.
It had things living in it
And winged things hovered above it buzzing furiously.
Single celled micro-organisms
Began to grow in the water droplets.

Saturday

Then people appeared round the ball.
Men and women, and it became their own.
They had control of the creatures
And the ‘land’ and the ‘seas’.

Sunday

On Sunday the ball was lost.
The dog probably took it to the damp compost heap
At the bottom of the garden and buried it
With the nine other missing playthings;
The huge yellow football,
The small red ping-pong ball,
The orange ball from last Christmas,
The red tennis ball.
The large swirly rugby ball,
A turquoise ball with rings of scum around it,
A small green ball,
The blue ball and
The tiny marble.
Meanwhile, he rested -
For he had made the Earth.