LITTLE JOEY SMALLS Category: Writing and Poetry

LITTLE JOEY SMALLS WAS A NORMAL BOY

JUST A BIT QUIET AT TIMES

SOMETIMES HE PLAYED WITH THE OTHER CHILDREN

BUT JOEY PREFERRED TO PLAY ALONE.

JOEY HAD AN ODD HABIT

LITTLE JOEY SMALLS

LIKED TO PUT THINGS INTO HIS MOUTH.

IF IT FIT

INTO HIS MOUTH AND DOWN IT WENT.

NOT ONE OF THESE THINGS

WAS EVER CLEAN

SNATCHING THINGS UP

FROM THE ODDEST OF PLACES

COVERED WITH DIRT AND FILTH

JOEY ATE AND NEVER GOT SICK.

ONE DAY WHILE WALKING

JOEY SPOTTED THE MOST UNUSUAL THING

BENDING TO EXAMINE IT CLOSER

JOEY WAS FASCINATED - IT GLEAMED

IT SQUIRMED AND IT WRIGGLED

UNLIKE ANYTHING THAT HE HAD EVER SEEN.

JOEY PICKED IT UP FROM THE GROUND

AND JUST LIKE THAT

SHOVED IT INTO HIS MOUTH.

FOR LITTLE JOEY SMALLS

IT WAS THE MOST OBVIOUS THING TO DO.

SLIDING DOWN HIS THROAT

JOEY GAVE A GIGGLE

AS THE THING TICKLED AND WRIGGLED

TO SETTLE IN HIS STOMACH

AMONG THE COLLECTION

OF BUGS, COINS , ROCKS

OTHER ODDITIES AND SUCH.

THAT NIGHT JOEY WAS UNEASY

HIS STOMACH FELT RATHER QUEASY

IT BUBBLED, IT RUMBLED AND ROARED.

HIS MOTHER CALLED THE DOCTOR

WHO WAS SOON AT THEIR DOOR.

THE DOCTOR FOUND NOTHING WRONG

THE DOCTOR HAD NO CLUE

"DID HE EAT SOMETHING THAT DID NOT AGREE?"

"IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE THE FLU."

"THAT BOY IS ALWAYS PUTTING THINGS IN HIS MOUTH

HIS MOTHER SAID UNEASILY

I CANNOT ALWAYS BE THERE TO SEE

PUTTING THINGS IN THEIR MOUTHS IS WHAT CHILDREN DO."

THE DOCTOR GAVE HIM A TONIC

AND SAID

"THAT SHOULD MAKE THINGS SOLID,

HE LEFT SAYING GOODBYE.

CALL ME IF IT GETS WORSE".

NEXT TO HIS BED HIS MOTHER SLEPT

IN THE MORNING SHE WOKE WITH A START

JOEY LET LOOSE A GREAT FART

THOUGH EMBARRASED AND REDDENED

JOEY SEEMED TO BE BETTER

SHE SENT LITTLE JOEY OFF TO SCHOOL.

NO ONE NOTICED THE CHANGES

THE BOY SO QUIET AND ALOOF

WAS NOW INTERESTED IN WHAT PEOPLE DO

HE ASKED MANY QUESTIONS

HE SEEMED TO GROW IN YEARS

WITH A COLDNESS IN HIS KNOWING EYES

THOSE WHO LOOKED FELT FEAR

SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT

THE BOY WHO USED TO SWALLOW THINGS

HAD GROWN TO SAVAGELY BITE.