In silence I must take my seat, And give God thanks before I eat; Must for my food in patience wait, Till I am asked to hand my plate; I must not scold, nor whine, nor pout, Nor move my chair nor plate about; With knife, or fork, or napkin ring, I must not play, nor must I sing. I must not speak a useless word, For children should be seen, not heard; I must not talk about my food, Nor fret if I don't think it good; I must not say, "The bread is old,' "The tea is hot,' "The coffee's cold'; My mouth with food I must not crowd, Nor while I'm eating speak aloud; Must turn my head to cough or sneeze, And when I ask, say "If you please'; The tablecloth I must not spoil, Nor with my food my fingers soil; Must keep my seat when I have done, Nor round the table sport or run; When told to rise, then I must put My chair away with noiseless foot; And lift my heart to God above, In praise for all his wondrous love. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...D.G.C. TO J.A by EMILY JANE BRONTE ENVOY: 5. TO MY NAME-CHILD by ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON ANOTHER FRANCIS OF ASSISI by FREDERICK HENRY HERBERT ADLER ONE THAT'S ON THE SEA by JOHN GARDINER CALKINS BRAINARD FROM A PRAIRIE by BEATRICE BRISSMAN NUMPHOLEPTOS by ROBERT BROWNING WESTERN TOWN by DAVID WADSWORTH CANNON JR. SONG: LOVER, IN DISGUISE OF AN AMAZON, DEARLY BELOVED OF HIS MISTRESS by THOMAS CAREW |