A little child who is sat

On the edge of a playmat

With his little peers,

Each engrossed in their own worlds

Which is sometimes contained in a dolls house,

And at others in dump trucks or a stuffed Mickey Mouse,

Is encouraged to share

And to care;

And though he may scream,

Or stomp his little feet

In utter outrage,

He is shamed

Into complying,

For his parents want him to fit in,

Otherwise, “what will others think?”

But when he is a little older,

Him and his little peers –

They are inducted

Into the fun world of games,

Each a miniscule slice

Of the cake

That is life,

With myriad rules

That aim to find

Who gets to claim

Sweet victory,

Or who gets to seek,

While others hide;

There is very little,

Of inclusive camaraderie,

Of being together,

And of celebrating,

The sheer joy

Of abundant existence

That can be had

In the company of friends.

Image Credit: Photo by Kristin Hardwick on StockSnap