• i have a secret.
    do you know what it is?
    it rhymes with
    grape but not apple,
    ape but not monkey.
    it rhymes with stape-
    -ple; more like half-rhymes.

    do you want a hint?

    i was a little girl.
    i knew a little boy.
    he was my next-door neighbour.
    he had a favourite toy.

    he knew a special game.
    he liked it when i’d play.
    and so we got together
    and played the game each day.

    i knew the game was different.
    i knew it wasn’t right.
    but still i’d play the game.
    we'd play it out-of-sight.

    his brother kept a lookout
    to see if people came
    for if someone saw us playing,
    they’d stop our little game.

    i was a little girl.
    i played a game for fun.
    my partner was a little boy…

    i don’t play that game anymore.