This is the tale of curious Ken

who played with matches in his den.

The flames that licked and jumped about

enraptured Ken, there is no doubt.

He loved the warming, dancing glow.

The red and yellow picture show.

Not content with tiny fires,

to conflagrations Ken aspires.

Burning in his fertile mind

is fire of a massive kind.

One evening late, and after dark

he sneaked alone across the park.

At the school, Ken crept about

and found some paper they'd left out.

Recycling wasn't in Ken's mind,

he screwed up sheets and lit his find.

Touching flame from pile to pile,

Ken watched his fire grow a while.

It roared and hissed, it cracked and glowed,

but most of all it growed and growed.

The heat was scorching Kenny's face,

to save himself was now a race.

Running fast, Ken looked behind

and what he saw, near struck him blind.

The flames were leaping high above

the school he hated, and he loved.

Standing fixed in awe and fear

He watched the school burn from the rear.

A dreadful crashing rent the air

which broke Ken from his dreadful stare.

Then two tones screached and beacons flashed.

Hoses played and flames were dashed.

As stinking steam replaced the heat,

Ken looked down sadly at his feet.

A friendly hand beneath his chin

turned up his face, to see a grin.

A kind and grimy chap peered down,

his smile changing to a frown.

"What's up then lad? Why look so sad?

Something's making you feel bad."

Tears filled Kenny's heavy eyes.

Then sobs turned into heavy cries.

The firefighter took Ken's arm

and led him off to somewhere calm.

They both sat down and talked until,

Ken poured out his heart at will.

Young though he was, the crime was grave.

Ken went to court and wasn't brave.

The magistrates looked down so fierce.

Their verdict such, his heart could pierce.

He would learn how fire goes,

by working with a man who knows.

In probation, Ken found out

the terror caused by fire louts.

Of tragic burns and ruined lives.

Of jobless men and tearful wives.

He learned how firefighters strive,

to save and help and keep alive.

Now Ken is bright and curious still.

Living for good and not for ill.

Working hard to make life good

and loving life, just as he should.