The big Yellow Table

The Big Yellow Table
Circa 1955

They tell me every morning; they say the same old thing;
It's important to be at the school before the last bell rings;
And when their shoes are tied; and their lunches have been made,
My sisters get to go to school, to learn to make their grades.

Before they hurry out the door, my sisters always say:
Pat's too little to go to school! All Pat can do is play.
But I've got a great big secret and I'll whisper it to you:
When my sisters and my daddy leave, there's lot's for me to do.

I have a magic table, underneath a magic tree,
Where we can have adventures, if you come and play with me!
If we use our 'maginations; and turn this bench upon its side,
The table turns into a fort, where we can sit inside.

Underneath my magic table, it's easy to pretend
The injuns are attacking; and we have to help my friends!
Meet Rusty and his faithful dog, the famous Rin Tin Tin.
Lieutenant Atkins gives us guns; so we can both pitch in.

The arrows and the bullets fly; we've got 'em on the run!
Soldiers wave their hats and cheer; but our adventure isn't done.
My mama hollers out the door, "Is that the wagon train I see?
Is Charlie Wooster fixing grub, or are you having lunch with me?"

Lunch is almost over when I ask her for my cape;
Lois is in trouble and I must help her escape!
"Go ahead now, Superman, go fight for what is right;
Remember, Daddy's roses are full of kryptonite."

I'll bet you've never seen a yellow table float;
We'll ride with Davy Crockett on this yellow riverboat!
Don't let Mike Fink scare you, because he's really Davy's friend.
We'll fight the river pirates and we'll beat them in the end.

Since Mama washed the sheets and hung them on the line,
We'll pretend the sheets are sails and we'll be buccaneers this time.
If Mama takes the sheets inside, there's nothing wrong with that;
When the sunshine warms my table, we can take a magic nap...