You are asked to assemble
Your little son’s Christmas toy.
You try to control your tremble
And remember when you were a boy.
The instruction leaflet says it all
If you read it well you can’t go wrong
This battery here, that wire there
Screw this tight, insert that prong.
Press it all together (mind that little part)
Push the button – and it doesn’t start!
With frustration you explete
And try to find out why it isn’t complete.
You’ve followed the instructions to the letter
Why doesn’t the bloody thing start?
Hoping next time you’ll do it better
With a sigh you take it all apart.
Instructions are there to illustrate
What goes where, and how, and when –
But if it all goes wrong, don’t hesitate:
Just ring the manufacturers –
Ask them to demonstrate.
C. Tim Taylor 2008