Home » Poems » Danielle Humphreys » Bathtime

Bathtime

It begins with a chase, where I jump swerve and run
Always two steps ahead of my frustrated mum
I duck under the table and knock over chairs
rush down the hallway and dash up the stairs

When finally she grabs me; she does every time
I wiggle and wrestle, I whinge and I whine
She tells me with patience to stop being daft
There's no use complaining, I'm having a bath!!

I'm dragged to the tub, which is already run
Mum grins at thinking her battle is won
the water is warm and its clean and inviting
but that doesn't stop me from fussing and fighting

I don't want to wash all my messes away
not when each one reminds me of my brilliant day
from the paint on my hands where I threw down the brush
and used fingers and thumbs in my artistic rush

to the dirt on my knees and my shins from outside
where I jumped from the swing-set and climbed up the slide
and the hair on my head which is sticky with cake
from this afternoon when I helped nanny to bake

and to my delight when the mixture was  mixed
she gave me the bowl and the big spoon to lick.
To wash these away seemed like such a sad shame
like erasing the memory of a magnificent game

Mummy said hurry and pulled her stern face
and I knew I had wasted all the time I could waste
so with the bath bubbles rising up over the rim
I finally gave up and began to climb in.

The bath water warmed me right down to my toes
the bubbles rose round me and tickled my nose
and there in the middle, what terrible luck
I sat down on top of my favourite duck

At first I was grumpy but that feeling passed
when I looked towards mummy and she started to laugh
So deciding revenge was a brilliant plan
I picked up some bubbles and clapped shut my hands

and with a big whoosh to my mummies despair
The handful of bubbles rose into the air
The look that she gave, I will not soon forget
her face full of bubbles, her hair sopping wet

but after a moment, or two, three or ten
she stopped looking angry and laughed once again
and as I prepared for my second attack
she stole all my bubbles and blasted them back

We both join together and share a big laugh
as finally I settle down into my bath
Until eventualy squeaky and clean as can be
I'm lifted back out and set down on her knee

Where before the drips dripping can cause a wet puddle
A big fluffy towel wraps me up in a cuddle
Mum dries me gently with plenty of care
and ends with a ruffle to fluff up my hair

Then into my snuggliest jammies I go
The ones with the booties that cover my toes
I'm carried upstairs where I'm tucked into bed
and mum plants a kiss on the top of my head

With our final goodnights and a wish of sweet dreams
the nightlight beside me lit up with a gleam
still warm from my bath and without one more peep
I curl up with my teddies and settle to sleep

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