It is infancy's old age When the first teeth go; It's the turning of the page When the first teeth go; It's farewell to merry youth With its innocence and truth, With its tenderness and ruth, When the first teeth go. There are novelties of pain When the first teeth go; Quick to lose and slow to gain, When the first teeth go; Ugly vacancies appear, New and lisping tones we hear, 'Tis a most erratic year When the first teeth go. Ah, the sober thoughts we think When their first teeth go, And the rising tears we wink When their first teeth go! For the coming teeth must chew Many meals of bitter rue, And their sorrows come in view As their first teeth go. Yes, but grand teeth come instead, When the first teeth go, Strong for meat and white for bread, When the first teeth go; Though the crust is hard and dry, Health and power in it lie, And there's better by and by; Let the first teeth go! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A MAN CHILD IS BORN (1839) by EDGAR LEE MASTERS THE COUNTESS CATHLEEN IN PARADISE by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS IN THE HOME STRETCH by ROBERT FROST CUDDLE DOON by ALEXANDER ANDERSON THE WELL OF ST. KEYNE by ROBERT SOUTHEY AN OLD BATTLE-FIELD by FRANK LEBBY STANTON |