One Day Scout 1959 Poem by Terry Collett

Morecraft said
come along
and join the Scouts.

So I went
along with him
that evening
to the church hall
where the Scouts
were stationed.

I was introduced
to the Scout leader
some tall thin guy
with a wide smile.

What's your name?
he said.

Benny
I said.

Benny what?
he said.

No Benny Coles
I said.

No one laughed
his smile disappeared.

Show him
the ropes Dick
he said
to Morecraft.

So we went along
to where the ropes were
and he showed me
what to do.

So I did it
then some big kid
came along
and pushed me
off the rope.

I gave his leg a pull
and dragged him down
and a fight started.

The tall thin leader
came along and said
what is going on here?

He pulled my leg
and I fell off
the big kid said.

He pushed me off
I said.

I won't have
this behaviour
in my pack
you can go
he said to me.

What about him?
I said.

Go
the thin guy said
so I went.

Next day
Morecraft said
he wondered where
I'd gone to
and they said
I'd been sent off
for fighting.

Self defence
I said
but Morecraft
said nothing
and went off
to play football
with some other kids
in the playground
at school.

I went with Dennis
and played cards
and won.

A kid's got
to have something
have some fun.