Dog in the playground
TYPE
PoemYEAR GROUP
Years 1 and 2Dog in the playground:
Oh, no he don’t.
He’ll come with me,
You see if he won’t.
The word gets round;
The crowd gets bigger.
His name’s Bob.
It ain’t – it’s Trigger.
They call him Archie!
They call him Frank!
Lives by the Fish Shop!
Lives up the Bank!
Who told you that?
Pipe down! Shut up!
I know that dog
Since he was a pup.
Dog in the playground:
We’ll catch him, Miss.
Leave it to us.
Just watch this!
Dog in the playground
What a to-do!
Thirty-five children,
Caretaker too,
Chasing the dog,
Chasing each other.
I know that dog –
He’s our dog’s brother!
We’ve cornered him now;
He can’t get away.
Told you we’d catch him,
Robert and – Hey!
Don’t open that door –
Oh, Glenis, you fool!
Look, Miss, what’s happened:
Dog in the school.
Dog in the classroom,
Dog in the hall,
Dog in the toilets –
He’s paying a call!
Forty-six children,
Caretaker too,
Headmaster, three teachers,
Hullabaloo!
Lost him! Can’t find him!
He’s vanished! And then:
Look, Miss, he’s back
In the playground again.
Shouting and shoving –
I’ll give you what for!-
Sixty-five children
Head for the door.
Dog in the playground,
Smile on his face,
Tail in the air,
Winning the race.
Dog in his element
Off at a jog,
Out of the gates:
Wish I was a dog.
Dog in the playground:
Couldn’t he run?
Dog in the playground
... Gone!
From Collected Poems.
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performing this poem in a group.
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imagining a dog or another animal got into your playground – what do you think would happen?