Kick the Can

Quarter moon behind partial clouds
Muggy summer night
And the crowd of kids gathers
We’re getting almost too old
For games like this
But we had to do something
So the Mountain Dew toting
Teens moping under our yard light
Shooting the shit on our white picnic table
All waiting for everyone to show

​Once ready, it was all put a foot in...
And one by one the toes were tapped out
“Eenie, meenie, meinie, moe
Catch a tiger by the toe
If he hollers make him pay
Fifty dollars everyday
My mother told me to choose the very best one, and you are not IT”
Until one was selected to be “IT”
And we could begin Kick the Can

“IT” would count at the bucket
Up to one hundred
Usually as fast as “IT” could
And we would all hide
Carefully within the boundaries
In shadows, nooks and behind trees
Then the fun began when “IT” stepped out
To find all those laying in hiding
And if identified, “IT” race back to home
And call them out by name and where

With honor system code
The person called out
Would walk slowly in
To the pen
That held all those caught
Sitting and waiting for rescue
When eventually someone ran in
Ahead of “IT” then
Kicked the can and freed everyone
Once again.