Home » Poems » Rhona Mcferran » Hanging Around

Hanging Around

In Granny's backyard
I'm hanging around
upside down
from my favorite tree
making funny faces
at my cousin, while we
try not to laugh
because down below
the circle of grown-ups
hardly know
or have forgotten
we are here

So we hear
all the choice gossip
as the older women
snap their green beans
with enjoyment keen

They cackle and squawk
rowdy, raucous
laughing talk
flapping and waggling
large wing-like arms
like a flock of hens roosting
on metal lawn chairs
not feeling the stares
of me and my cousin
enjoying the show
finding out all kinds of things
and colorful words
we wanted to know, but
would never have heard
down on the ground!

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Arthur Vaso

Date: 10/20/2018 10:49:00 PM

Made me smile, just thinking of such youth!

Caren Krutsinger

Date: 10/20/2018 9:39:00 PM

I love this one so much! About twenty-two percent of my paintings are of a woman or a girl hanging upside down with her hair flying down from the limb of a tree. I can so picture this, and you are right. The instant you were discovered, all grown up conversation would be shelved. I wish the adults of today understood the importance of shielding the youngsters from every sorted detail of adult land. I do believe in the end you were probably caught though, because when you are with a cousin ....

Rhona Mcferran
Date: 10/20/2018 9:56:00 PM

I had a feeling you would like this one! ;) And, yes- I was usually caught when my cousin was there as we would end up giggling at each other (or something the women said)... And you're right, adults of today do need to be more careful to censor themselves. (Although my grandmother didn't exactly "censor" herself- she just shooed all the children away to play somewhere else! ;P)