All down my street

smiles opened like roses

sun licked me and tickled me

sun said, Didn’t you believe me

when I said I’d be back?

I blinked my eyes, I said,

Sun, you are too strong for me

where’d you get those muscles?

Sun said, Come and dance.

All over the park

smiles opened like roses

babies kicked off their shoes

and sun kissed their toes. 

All those new babies

all that new sun

everybody dancing walking but dancing.

All over the world

sun kicked off his shoes

and came home dancing

licking and tickling

kissing crossing-ladies and fat babies

saying to everyone

Hey you are the most beautiful

dancing people I’ve ever seen

with those smiles like roses! 

Helen Dunmore