April fool

It was the first of April
and Spring had just begun
but since it was that special day
we thought we’d have some fun.

We put our heads together
to come up with a trick.
But time was running out for us;
we had to do it quick.

We knew our dad was coming.
He’d be home before long.
We had to rig this up just right.
We’d best not get it wrong.

And when we had it set up,
we hid to watch the door.
The furniture had all been moved
so there was only floor.

And then we heard him coming
like every other day.
Yeah, you could set your watch by him.
He always was that way.

He opened up the front door;
his face filled with surprise.
He looked around and shook his head
and then he rubbed his eyes.

What happened to the TV?
Where was his favorite chair?
He wondered if this was his house
and we could hear him swear.

No chairs or lamps or couches,
the room was emptied out.
And as he looked around the room
his face had filled with doubt.

He gazed about in wonder,
and then he turned around.
But as he walked back out the door
he thought he heard a sound.

He heard us laughing loudly
and he came back inside.
Since we could not contain ourselves,
there was no need to hide.

We hollered, “April Fool’s Day”
and he just shook his head.
And then he smiled and laughed with us.
“I am the fool,” he said.

Dad helped us put the things back,
all settled here and there.
We’d have to have a better trick
to fool our dad next year.