Salt-Dough <br />'Let's make some salt-dough! ' Gracie cried. <br />And Grandad sighed, 'O.K.' <br />(Her Mum and Dad had left the child <br />With Grandad for the day) <br /> <br />A light blinked on in Grandad's brain <br />'But I don't know how, ' he said. <br />'It's easy, ' bubbled Gracie, <br />'It's a bit like baking bread.' <br /> <br />'Just get me flour and get me salt <br />And a little water to mix it, <br />Then we'll add some drops of cooking oil, <br />That really ought to fix it.' <br /> <br />The dough was made by Gracie's hand <br />And a lovely figure appeared, <br />A lady with a hat and shawl. <br />Now Grandad grew a-feared. <br /> <br />For salt-dough models are made hard <br />By a process akin to firing. <br />Dare he plead the cooker was broke, <br />Some problem with the wiring? <br /> <br />But Gracie could surmount this fault. <br />With a face quite stern and grave, <br />'Grandad, if the cooker's broke, <br />We'll use the microwave.' <br /> <br />The deed was done, the model in, <br />A problem raised its head. <br />How long do you bake salt-dough for? <br />'Five minutes on full, ' Gracie said. <br /> <br />But long before the time was up, <br />Alas and Oh! Alack, <br />The kitchen was filled with billowing smoke, <br />Dense and acrid and black. <br /> <br />'Go in the garden, ' Grandad gasped <br />As the smoke alarms went off, <br />He opened all doors and windows <br />As he fought with a choking cough. <br /> <br />At last the smoke was wafted out <br />And Gracie allowed back in. <br />'Do you think I could paint my model now? ' <br />She asked with a cheeky grin. <br /> <br />We'll draw a veil over Grandad's words, <br />Suffice it to be told <br />Her Mum was shocked when from Gracie's lips <br />The self same phrases rolled. <br /> <br />Now Grandad's banned the microwave <br />When Gracie comes to stay. <br />And if you mention 'salt-dough' <br />His hair turns a lighter grey. <br /> <br />His eyes will then glaze over, <br />His face turn a deeper red. <br />'Don't ever mention those words again, <br />Until you're sure I'm dead.'<br /><br />Michael Morris<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/salt-dough/
