Who spilt what on the rug?
Leaving that ghastly stain, ugh.
"Not me, not me, not me!"
Who let the toilet overflow?
"Don’t look at me. I don’t know.
It certainly wasn’t me!"
Who ate the Oreos? The crackers?
Categorically all deny they’re snackers.
"Not me, not me, not me!"
My angelic children all agree
With enviable serenity,
Whatever the calamity,
"It wasn’t me!"
And what I want to know
Is where did the culprit go?

© by Phylis Warady. 

This poem has appeared previously in Family Pictures (Capital Bookfest, 2007), 
The Writing Parent, Rainy Day Corner, Preserving Christian Homes, 
St. Anthony Messenger, The Funny Paper, and The Lutheran Digest. 
Used here with the author's permission.