Tug-of-war

To-day we have tug-of-war. Yesterday,

We had thumb war. And to-morrow morning,

We shall have tic-tac-toe. But to-day,

To-day we have tug-of war. A couple

Fight like dogs in one of the neighboring gardens,

                      And to-day we have tug-of-war.

This is one end of the rope. And this

Is the other, which uses you will see,

When you are given permission. And this is the middle,

Which in your case we have not got. The couple

Stand in the garden with their noisy, ugly gestures,

                      Which in our case we have not got.

This is where you stand, which is not always easy

Cause you cannot cross that line. And please do not let me

See anyone getting burn marks. You can avoid it quite easy

If you wear some gloves. Their yelling

Is loud and full of emotions, never letting anyone see

                      Anyone of them getting burn marks.

And this you can see is the flag. The purpose of this

Is to decide who wins, as you see. We can tie it

Rapidly backwards and forwards: we call this

Tying a love knot. And rapidly backwards and forwards

The man pulls with his strength and the woman with her wits:

                      They call it tying a love knot.

They call it tying a love knot: It is perfectly easy

If you wear some gloves: like the flag,

And the winner, and the line, and the point of balance,

Which in our case we have not got; and the fighting stops

Silence in all of the gardens, and the couple goes backwards and forwards,

                      For to-day we have tug-of-war.