The teacher is on a yellow stool in the kitchen
with an imaginary register in his hands.

“Mummy?” he says, spitting cheese as he talks.
“Here, sir!” Mummy says, waving back at him.
“You mean ‘Mr Burkitt’.”
“Yes, Mr Burkitt.”

“Daddy?” he says, slurping on his space water bottle.
“Hello Mr Burkitt,” I say, giving a thumbs up.
“You mean ‘Here Mr Burkitt’.”
“Yes, sir.”

Mr Burkitt huffs and begins phonics lesson.
“Oa oa, goat on a boat. Oo oo, look for a book.”
Mummy and Daddy do a great job repeating the sounds
so we’re allowed to play with cars in the living room.

Mr Burkitt sits on the sofa with a biscuit,
proud at all he has achieved.

Carl Burkitt 2026