Sibling Sandwich
I DON’T WANT TO SIT IN THE MIDDLE!
Get in, says my brother.
You’re the smallest, says my sister.
In you get, chirps my dad, through his teeth.
I DON’T WANT TO SIT IN THE MIDDLE!
Come on, says Mum.
It’s fun in the middle. You can be a sibling sandwich! You’re the best bit. No-one wants the boring bread – they want the jam, the honey, the egg, the ham.
I DON’T WANT TO BE THE HAM!
Get in, Ham! says my brother.
Grow-up, says my sister.
In you get, growls Dad.
FINE!
I crawl over their legs as clumsily as I can,
then do windmills
with my elbows.
But …
just so you know…
before you complain…
THIS HAM’S GOT MUSTARD!
Get in, says my brother.
You’re the smallest, says my sister.
In you get, chirps my dad, through his teeth.
I DON’T WANT TO SIT IN THE MIDDLE!
Come on, says Mum.
It’s fun in the middle. You can be a sibling sandwich! You’re the best bit. No-one wants the boring bread – they want the jam, the honey, the egg, the ham.
I DON’T WANT TO BE THE HAM!
Get in, Ham! says my brother.
Grow-up, says my sister.
In you get, growls Dad.
FINE!
I crawl over their legs as clumsily as I can,
then do windmills
with my elbows.
But …
just so you know…
before you complain…
THIS HAM’S GOT MUSTARD!
This poem is copyright (©) Rachel Burrows 2026
About the Writer
Rachel Burrows
Rachel is a mum and a teacher, but also a noticer of things. She loves standing still and absorbing - taking in the sounds, smells and secrets of our world. She has travelled far and is frequently found in pea-patches.
