‘I would never leave them, ‘cause their house is nice and warm!’

Fighting Words 2020: Sprinkles, a poem by Rhys Barry

'If they didn’t feed me, then I’d probably leave.' Illustration: iStock/Getty
'If they didn’t feed me, then I’d probably leave.' Illustration: iStock/Getty

Name: Rhys Barry
Age: 13
School: Pobalscoil Neasáin, Baldoyle, Dublin 13

Sprinkles

Rhys Barry is a pupil at Pobalscoil Neasáin, Baldoyle, Dublin
Rhys Barry is a pupil at Pobalscoil Neasáin, Baldoyle, Dublin

I live with four idiots,

Is it hard to believe?

If they didn’t feed me,

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Then I’d probably leave.

The one they call their father,

I think he’s insecure,

And when he calls me silly names,

My wrath he does incur.

The mammy, as they call her,

I guess she is alright,

But when I sit on her nice seats,

She puts up quite a fight.

I wake the eldest son sometimes,

Because he’s a sleepy head,

So he brings me to the living room,

And then goes back to bed!

And lastly, the little one,

He feeds me in the dawn,

But then I’m soon ignored,

And he’s all left and gone.

They may be very simple,

And I often have to scorn,

But I would never leave them,

‘Cause their house is nice and warm!