If you see a tall fellow ahead of the crowd, A leader of music, marching fearless and proud, And you know of a tale whose mere telling aloud Would cause his proud head to in anguish be bowed, It's a pretty good plan to forget it. If you know of a skeleton hidden away In a closet, and guarded and kept from the day In the dark; whose showing, whose sudden display Would cause grief and sorrow and lifelong dismay, It's a pretty good plan to forget it. If you know of a spot in the life of a friend (We all have spots concealed, world without end) Whose touching his heartstrings would sadden or rend, Till the shame of its showing no grieving could mend, It's a pretty good plan to forget it. If you know of a thing that will darken the joy Of a man or a woman, a girl or a boy, That will wipe out a smile or the least way annoy A fellow, or cause any gladness to cloy, It's a pretty good plan to forget it. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE GOLD-SEEKERS by HAMLIN GARLAND THE SPIRIT OF SHAKESPEARE: 2 by GEORGE MEREDITH SONGS OF TRAVEL: 46. EVENSONG by ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON IN LAMPLIGHT by MARTIN DONISTHORPE ARMSTRONG AUTUMN SOLILOQUY by ELSIE DINWIDDIE BARTLETT THE CRACKED BELL by CHARLES BAUDELAIRE THE SOUL-PATH by HARRY RANDOLPH BLYTHE |