Thursday, October 29, 2015

Red Rover, Red Rover


Send someone right over but
first
two captains alternate choices
of their teams membership,
not unlike the NFL draft except
no media attention
            second
each time lines up facing each
other at a suitable distance,
not unlike a football kickoff except
no sportscasters’ gratuitous comments
            third
the teams join hands
definitely unlike a football game
imagine sportscasters’ reactions in the booth
            fourth
one team calls out red rover red rover
send (insert name here) right over
            fifth
(insert name here) makes a mad dash
to the opposing team with fixed purpose:
break through the joined hands

breakthrough, successful: (insert name here) takes
an opposing team member back to his/her team

breakthrough, failed: (insert name here)
is absorbed into the opposing team

            sixth
the other team gets it turn,
not unlike what happens after a touchdown
or safety in football
            seventh
repeat as often as necessary
until no one is left on one side
while the other side celebrates
its scorched earth victory, not
unlike American politics,
another playground game,
just more expensive.

Tweetspeak Poetry is playing games this week, specifically games on the playground. Heather Eure has a poetry prompt for a didactic (teaching) poem on a playground game. So hopscotch right over to Tweetspeak Poetry, where you can either dodge the ball or hide and seek. Tag – you’re it!