Imagination

After Kindy little kids wait with mums at the big kids’ school: Chat-time, there and back time; big-tree shade, dust and long leaves, water in cages – shiny bubblers, hot black play-ground, bench-seats low down. Liz is back and sobbing, Mum says, ‘What’s the matter? Wipe the tears. Blow the nose.’ ‘I can’t hold water,’ Lizzie cries. ‘We’re making mud,’ says Bella. ‘Oh,’ says Lizzie’s Mum. ‘Oh,’ says Bella’s Mum. The mums frown. ‘You have to put water in your mouth,’ says Liz. ‘And spit it, on the dirt,’ says Bella. ‘Oh,’ say the mums. Mums don’t make magic in play-ground dust. Kids do. Drips of water from their mouths: dust kicking water strings, mixed up with fingers into mud with gumnut people jumping in, and leaf crocodiles snapping.