 | Short poems for short people |  |
31
IF.
If I were a school-teacher, like Miss Snapp,
And she were a scholar like me,
Oh, gracious! what lessons I 'd give her to learn,
What sums in the Rule of Three!
And how, if she did n't forever behave
In just the most saintly of ways,
Her ears should be slapped, and her buns locked up,
And her recess ruined for days!
And she were a scholar like me,
Oh, gracious! what lessons I 'd give her to learn,
What sums in the Rule of Three!
And how, if she did n't forever behave
In just the most saintly of ways,
Her ears should be slapped, and her buns locked up,
And her recess ruined for days!
If I were as clever as Laura Sharp,
And she were as stupid as I,
What thorough delight it would give me to act
As monitor, meddler and spy!
And how I should tattle of all that she did,
In Laura's contemptible style,
And smile, when she blundered at spelling or French,
That horrid, unmerciful smile!
And she were as stupid as I,
What thorough delight it would give me to act
As monitor, meddler and spy!
And how I should tattle of all that she did,
In Laura's contemptible style,
And smile, when she blundered at spelling or French,
That horrid, unmerciful smile!
If I were a beauty like Rosa Bell,
And she were a fright like myself,
What saucy remarks I should constantly make
To vex her—the proud little elf!
What fun I should poke at her freckles, her nose,
Her elbows, her knuckles, her hair,
And all with that delicate titter of hers,
That stingingly lady-like air!
And she were a fright like myself,
What saucy remarks I should constantly make
To vex her—the proud little elf!
32
Her elbows, her knuckles, her hair,
And all with that delicate titter of hers,
That stingingly lady-like air!
But then I am merely supposing, of course,
Impossible things. Who can tell
What truly would happen if truly I were
Miss Snapp, Laura Sharp, Rosa Bell?
Perhaps I should pity (revenge is so mean!)
And help them and love them, all three,
And do unto others as I myself would
That others should do unto me.
Impossible things. Who can tell
What truly would happen if truly I were
Miss Snapp, Laura Sharp, Rosa Bell?
Perhaps I should pity (revenge is so mean!)
And help them and love them, all three,
And do unto others as I myself would
That others should do unto me.
| Short poems for short people | |