THE WILD WARDROBE

How many times have you told your children to put their clothes away? Does it feel like your requests are falling on deaf ears?

Perhaps the tale of this messy boy and his backyard adventures will make them listen.

THE WILD WARDROBE

I went outside to find my shoe

And promptly stepped in possum poo

I hear them play a lot at night

But in the day they’re out of sight

They like to jump around on trees

Munching bits of fruit and leaves

They often fight and sometimes scream

Their noise can really ruin my dream

I climbed a tree to get my sock

But what I saw gave me a shock

A kookaburra with a snake

It made me scared; it made me shake

The snake was wriggling in its beak

Its future did indeed seem bleak

The snake fought well, bit kooka’s brow

I’d like to know who’s laughing now?

I had to search beneath a chair

To find my bright red underwear

And hiding there, set to attack

A creepy, crawly, mean red-back

I screamed at him to go away

The spider stayed, to my dismay

I’d settle for my boxers blue

I think I left them in the loo

My shorts were left inside my cubby

With a bush rat that was getting chubby

They are supposed to sleep at day

But tempting food had made him stay

He didn’t scare, coz I was tough

I went away til he’d had enough

Then grabbed my shorts and ran like mad

I didn’t want to meet his dad!

My shirt was strung along the fence

Where bushes grew so very dense

There sat a lizard with tongue so blue

I screamed at him to “shoo, shoo, shoo”

This rude reptile just hissed at me

It made me want to flee, flee, flee

I stood my ground and stomped my feet

He’d have to find another seat

My jacket was on the roof so high

Where a magpie tried to peck my eye

The bird was mad and set to fight

I had to stand with all my might

It flapped and fluttered and gave a squawk

It would not let me run or walk

I swung my coat into the air

The bird flew off, without a care

My toothbrush was on an old tree stump

Where crickets liked to jump and jump

Ants discovered toothpaste is yummy

A really good way to fill the tummy

I grabbed my brush; they crawled on my arm

Could the humble ant do any harm?

I pushed them away, just to be sure

I didn’t want ant disease; there is no cure

Where was my comb? It was anyone’s guess

It had to be hidden in this backyard mess

I looked up and down; I looked all around

When I spotted a great big hole in the ground

I peered inside, armed with cricket bat

And came face to face with a big wombat

He blinked his eyes and shook his head

Then turned his back and went to bed

Last of all I needed my hat

Which had been snatched by a neighbour’s cat

I searched around Mum’s flowers and plants

And saw an echidna gorging ants

He looked at me with his spike display

It really was a scary day

I had my clothes so I left the yard

Compared to it, school wasn’t so hard

But then along my way to school

I ran into a kangaroo

On TV shows they’re mostly good

Being just as sweet as animals should

It’s different when you’re face to face

I found myself in some disgrace

The roo stood tall in boxing stance

And I ran home to change my pants

Wishing you a tidy and gleeful week, Tamuria