Carrying Your Bat
It causes concern at the Gare du Nord
Someone is swinging a large slab of wood.
They look more closely and see you're a boy.
It attracts passers-by in the Bois de Boulogne
Five of us playing one hot afternoon.
They stop to watch our strange wild game.
It rouses the guard at the Metro gates
He shouts at you, grinning and laughing.
You smile and throw names back and forth -
Brian Lara
Alec Stewart
Viv Richards
Ian Botham
You have the last word, and shoulder your bat.
Chrissie Williams, September 2003