Sheila Charles MAGIC MATS
My friend gave me some porridge oats
And a family apple pie.
When I opened the packet of porridge
There were four plastic coasters. Now why?
They were four different colours
With a dog in the centre of each.
the colours round the edge of each mat
Were red, white, brown and peach.
As they were quite cute
I decided to use them instead
Of the flowered ones I already had.
My favourite one was the red!
The friend who gave them to me came round,
“Do you like the mats?” she said.
!Have you put a HOT drink on them?” she asked.
I answered, “I haven’t yet.”
I wondered why she mentioned it –
But I laid out the whole set.
For a treat, I made a hot soup
For the two of us.
“Put the mug on the mat. Now lift it up
And see what it does.”
Would you believe the mat changed colour
In between the dog and the rim.
How could THAT possibly happen?
Okay I can be incredibly dim.
I had never seen anything like it before.
I got really excited, yes.
I couldn’t wait to show the mats off
to folk I wished to impress.
I refer to them as ‘my magic mats’,
A wee bit childish, sp,
I invited my neighbour round.
I said happily, “I’ve something to show.”
We both got excited like two kids
Our faces all aglow –
Well to be perfectly honest WITH YOU,
It was mainly ME that got excited. I know!
illustration by ume-nori
