Janet Loverseed
Tea at the Farm
There were ten cats on the old settee.
Uncle Josiah pulled all their tails.
My dad said they were to keep the mice down.
They were smelly. But cats’ tails shouldn’t be pulled.
Walter came in with Auntie Enid.
They brought the sheepdog, Max. He put his paws
on my shoulders and licked my nose and chin.
Auntie called him off. Dogs shouldn’t be that big.
Uncle Josiah and Walter laughed.
Their teeth were black. Walter said Don’t you like
Max? and my dad said Of course she does.
But I didn’t and teeth shouldn’t be black.
Auntie Enid fetched in the ham for tea
and we went to sit at the long table.
Bluebottles buzzed round the food. My dad squashed
two with his plate. Flies shouldn’t have red blood.
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