The Dried Thing I Picked With Mummy

Child watched
brow creased satin folds
behind a fair fringe.
He folded
unfolded
turned the paper
folded again.
Wots it gonna be?
Patience.
Wots a patience?
Wait and see
it means wait and see.
He folded
turned the paper
folded again.
A boat?
Why a boat?
Coz I can float it.
It’ll go soggy and sink
not a boat.
An aminal?
Animal, say it.
Aminal. Wot aminal is it?
Not an a n i m a l?
Ohhh. Why not? Like aminals!
A n i m a l.
Say it properly.

The Dried Thing I Picked With Mummy

He folded
turned the paper
folded again.

Animal.
Very good
it’s a plant.
A paper plant?
All paper comes from plants.
Doesn’t!
It does, paper comes from plants and trees.
Paper comes from the shop.
Yes but the paper from the shops comes from plants.
Really?
Really
we can make paper
your very own special paper.

He unfolded
tweaked
pulled
arranged
eased and twirled.
Wow!
What do you think it is?
It’s a the dried thing
I picked with mummy.