Two young girls together,
Came rushing across the yard;
Their angry eyes were flashing,
Hoping to catch me off my guard.

"We just won't run today,
'Cause it might rain," they felt;
"We just saw a raindrop,
And we fear we may melt."

"Now just call our mothers,"
Was their next little trick;
"And they will tell you,
We've been horribly sick."

"The last time we ran,
Our ankles got broke;
Mr. Riley, quit laughin',
That's true, it's no joke."

"And our Doctors told us,
Running's bad for the heart;
It steals blood from our brains,
And that's why we're not smart."

The excuses they came,
At a rapid fire pace;
When one didn't work,
Another came in its place;

"The weather's too cold out,
I'll throw up on the floor;
We'll probably pass out,
If we run any more."

"Our knees they are achin',
We're comin down with the flu;
Mr. Riley, please believe us,
It's all very true."

On and on and on,
The young ladies' mouths went;
Until at long last,
Their verbiage was spent;

They had tears in their eyes,
And a cut little pout;
They were thanked for their sharing,
"Now girls, please dress out."

"I've heard all the excuses,
So this poem I wrote;
If you really can't run kids,
Then just bring me a note."

Dr. Jim Riley

© 2008, Physical Education Update, www.peUpdate.com

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