Game Poem 10: Buster
You need a ball. Get a ball. Just a regular ball. Like that one! If you don’t have a ball, make one by crumpling up a couple of pieces of paper really tight. That’s a good ball!
Sit somewhere where everyone can pretty much reach everyone else. You’re going to play with the ball! Put the ball somewhere near the middle of where you’re playing. That ball looks fun to play with! Anyone can play with the ball by grabbing it with the hand that they use the most. It’s fun to play with the ball, but try to just play with the one hand!
Someone should grab the ball and play with it! That’s fun! Everyone wants to play with the ball, though, but you shouldn’t just grab it from whoever has it. You should say something to them first. But, you can only say three things:
“ARF ARF ARF!” This means that you’re happy, and excited, and you want to play!
“GRRRRRRRR.” This means that you’re angry, or very serious about playing.
“AWROOOOOOOOO…” This means that you’re probably lonely, and want to play, too.
Everyone is going to be making lots of noise! It’s fun, but pretty confusing! And it’s hard to make any noise but the growling noise when you’ve got the ball in your hand. But you really want to play with the ball! Maybe you could even grab it at the same time as the person who has it now, and tug it back and forth a little bit while saying something to them? Are they growling at you? Are they really mad, or just playing with you? If someone is really sad that they’re not playing, and telling you that, maybe you should let them play first, before taking your turn? Are you angry that you can’t play now? Or just really excited about getting to play at all?
If you’re playing with the ball, everyone is probably trying to play with you, because playing with the ball is so much fun! They’re making all kinds of noises at you, trying to get you to let them play with you! Who should you pay attention to? Do you think that you’ve played with the ball for long enough now? Do you think you should let someone else take a turn? Who should get to play with the ball next? The people next to you? The saddest-sounding one? The one who looks like they’d be the most fun to play with? Maybe you should give that one who sounds angry a little space – they might even bite you, so that you drop the ball!
Everyone should get to play with the ball! Be nice to the other players! They like to have fun as much as you do! Maybe you can figure out how to play with the ball at the same time as someone else!
After fifteen minutes or so, you’re tired of playing. Whoever has the ball should just drop it in front of them. Everyone should either lie down and rest, or find something else to play with!