Playing Pottsy

With a piece of sidewalk chalk,
We’d set the game in motion;
For summer in the city
Gave us neither pool nor ocean.

We’d draw the board so carefully,
One number in each box;
And for our markers, we would search
For little twigs or rocks.

The rules were very simple
And were followed to a T:
Your marker had to land right in box 1 – 
That part was key.

And then you had to hop around
From boxes 2 through 8.
If both feet landed in a box,
You really sealed your fate.

For doing so, or stepping on a line,
As we would learn,
Would cause your pals to let you know
That you just lost your turn.

The second toss required
That your marker hit box 2.
Of course, if it touched any line,
That simply wouldn’t do.

But if your toss was clean, you then
Hopped right up to the end,
Until, with hops and tosses
You’d defeated every friend.

Amazing just to think of how
We kept ourselves amused
With sticks and rocks and sidewalk chalk
On urban avenues.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2012

Poem

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Johnson Avatar
February 17, 2014 at 8:41 PM
Well, I was already to enjoy a trip to Happy Days. In turn I guess I did. Reliving these sweet childhood days brings bittersweet refrain. You might not have had pool or ocean. But you could still play in the rain. Peace. :)
Brown Avatar
June 1, 2012 at 7:59 AM
I have enjoyed reading your excellent writing this morning Ilene. I hope you will continue to write and share your words with us. Have a wonderful weekend filled with joy and love. Love, Carol
Whitehead Avatar
May 31, 2012 at 4:14 PM
Yours is an interesting poem Ilene. I have not heard of this game and wonder if it is an American game. We played hopscotch and it may be another name for the same game. Very well written. I enjoyed it very much.
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