There's a lion in my bedroom
that roars when I open the door
there are snakes and ants and crawling things
that live beneath the floor
It's a jungle in my bedroom
I'll be lucky to survive
the dangerous adventures
that I have now I am five
There's a carpet that is magic
a bed that really flies
a chair that is an elephant
glowing stars for night-time skies
I wrestle with oranutans
then swing on vines through trees
I monkey with baboons and chimps
play picking ticks and eating fleas
I have a dangerous attraction
to things that sting or bite
the deadlier the poison is
the sharper are the pangs of fright
I know that there are scorpions
among my boulder socks
that battle with tarantulas
to make homes in the rocks
I sneak a peek at vampire bats
from camp beneath my sheet
I tiptoe past piranha fish
scared that they will eat my feet
I hide behind the curtains
as the tiger treads his secret path
I watch out for the crocodiles
as they slink wet back from their bath
I sit up high on elephant's back
watch lion watch the jackal pack
then Dad shouts up it's time for tea
and they all turn and look at me
Snakes and ants and bugs appear
attracted by the scent of fear
as lion roars his fearful roar
and tiger grins and shuts the door
© Mark Shepherd