Sparkapolooza

Gone Dotty
By Kate Toon

‘She’s gone dotty’ they said,
the silly old bat.
She talks to her plants and sings to her cat.

‘Her mind’s feeble’ they said,
she’ll have to have help,
with cooking, cleaning and washing herself.

‘Goodbye Fluffy” they said,
As they closed up the cage.
Looking after a cat was too much at her age.

‘You can’t stay here’ they said,
and moved her away,
‘Sunny meadows – a happier place to stay’.

‘You should join in’ they said,
It was bingo night,
The numbers were hard, account of her sight.

‘Eat it up now’ they said,
It didn’t look nice,
All sticky, yellow and covered in rice.

‘Be a good girl’ they said,
If she dared to complain,
And passed her another pill for the pain.

‘Let us help you’ they said,
As they pulled at her tights,
A shower in the morning, a bath at night.

‘You’re untidy’ they said,
And messed with her things.
Her photos, her books, George’s medals, her rings.

‘She’s gone quiet’ they said,
As she sat in her chair,
Day after day, watching ‘free to air’.

‘They go downhill’ they said,
It’s old age you see.
Better you don’t visit, just let her be.

‘See you soon George’ she said,
As she swallowed the lot,
Closed her eyes, smiled and quickly forgot.