It seems too unlikely.

Little girl, pink frock, barefoot

wandering through a glade

following a peacock.

There’s no-one with her.

Just this sapphire creature

at her side.

Putting down our sandwich lunch

worried, we approach.

“Where is your mummy?”

The peacock disappears.

“Over there” she gestures

unconcerned.

Tells us her name is Unity.

“Come on darling, let’s find

your mum” says my kind friend

as I wonder where the peacock went.

Mum is found, sitting under cherry trees

with three more barefoot children

Liberty, Euridice and Caspian.

I think that I don’t like this little girl.

For as we’d walked between flowerbeds,

seeing dollops of shit from the Canada Geese,

thinking of her bare feet I had said

“Mind the duck poo!”

She had given me a very grown up look.

“They aren’t ducks they’re geese!”

She told me.

Smartarse!