It’s cold in the barn
So the children play a game
Let’s pretend…
There’s sickness in the village
And the fear spreads like a flame
(That will warm us up).

Let’s pretend…
That our parents are coming!
Oh no, they’re left behind!
I hear the miller’s dropping dead!
I hear the tailor’s blind!

Let’s pretend…
We need to collect food now,
Dare we go outside?
Because the winter’s creeping in
And now the tailor’s died.

Let’s…
Go into the forest,
I’m sure we’ll find food there
Some berries in the Autumn
And one unlucky hare.

Let’s wrap ourselves up warmly
The shepherd won’t come back
The snow is falling all around
It’s burying the track.

Wait, what is that knocking?
No, don’t open the door!
Too late, and now the stranger
Is laying on our floor.

Quick, you get him water,
Quick, you get him food.
I will bring him straw for warmth
And try to raise his mood.

His forehead feels so warm, sister
He won’t open his eyes
There are black lumps growing on his neck
That I don’t recognize.

Get back, get back – we’ll leave him
No we can’t! We must!
Wait, brother, was that a cough?
Oh stop fighting, I just…
…feel… so…ill.

They jump, the barn door opens
“Kids! We’re back! Hello?
We found a place to park the car…
Come on, you lot. Let’s go.”

“Blimey, are you guys okay? And who’s that man asleep on the floor?”

It’s cold in the barn,
So they leave the past behind.
It might be better that way.

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Poem based on the novel Children of Winter by Berlie Doherty.
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