Remember as a child, When dad on the roof did have to work? Some boards he did nail together, And a ladder made? But Mister Gray, the painter, Oh, ladders he did have, Ladders, which would slide up and down, Ladders strong and from the store? But Papa’s ladder always broke, And never seemed to be strong, But he always managed to Get the work done? And when I did grow up, A step-ladder we did buy, Then I, too, made my own, One that was not strong. But now I am older and more safety conscious too, So I did buy my own ladders, too. A twelve foot aluminum one, Light and strong it is. And a sliding 16 foot one, Which goes clang, clang When you run it up and down. And a 24 foot one, so I can get high, It slides, it is light, And I do not have to take it Back to someone else’s home. So now, in my shed lots of ladders I do have, Two six foot step-ladders, Plus and eight foot, and a four, Then two two-foot ones, for short things. Yes, I have lots of ladders, And they are so neat, But when I see an old wooden one, I do grin and of Poppa think. Can’t waste the money, Or you borrow one. © Tom (tomWYO@aol.com) WRITERS' CORNER: INDEX