This morning I eavesdropped
on your private world
where the plastic cat
and the girl with no nose
were climbing the roof
of the purple house
it went badly
for them both
almost straight away
a big fall
off the roof
and then run over
right away
by the train
with the permanent grin
I witnessed
the story grow inside you
slow and methodical
as though you had to listen first
to some invisible troll
reading this chronology
of destruction
but you don’t seem at all troubled
your voice as happy and curly
as it sounds when you sing
baa baa black sheep
in the bath
and when I ask you
because I can’t stop myself
how it was that the train
ran them over
you responded
it was by elephant
which seems like a good answer
until much later
when I realize
that all those times
when I’ve told you
that a boy hit you
by accident
you must have wondered
how you missed seeing
the elephant again
but no wonder
it hurt so much.