ONCE UPON A WINTERS DAY

Once upon a winters day
when the wind was cold and bitter
the children were just sitting round
playing with some glitter

Hattie said "it's time for bed
you'd best go brush your teeth"
Through lots of moans,gasps and groans
they began to move their feet

Up the stairs banging shouting
the sound of feet crashing
so loud it seems that no one hears
the downstairs window smashing

Hattie returns to the room
to make sure all is done
She sees the glass another task
to clear before someone

comes back to play another day
and gets glass in their feet
So she works into the night
to make the place all neat

She tidies round without much sound
and soon the floor is clear
The shutters cover up the break
She's glad that she was here

But just as she is about to leave
to find her way to bed
a voice whispers softly
as if it's  in her head

" Don't you want to taste me
to see if I am sweet "
It's then she spies the apple
lying at her feet

Reaching out she strokes it
 a pain shoots up her arm
she stumbles to the sofa
and sits down in alarm

Her heart she can feel
beating in her head
her gaze is going blurry
she wished she'd gone to bed

She falls back on the sofa
her eyes wide open but
her breathing is quite laboured
stops and then they shut!

The house has gone silent
for everyone's in bed
while down inside the playroom
Hattie could be......



D Owen