Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, CHILDISH JOYS, by WALT MASON


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

CHILDISH JOYS, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: As I went forth, on my ten toes, a snowball
Last Line: "grist of pain."" and as I feebly tottered by, a snowball hit me in the eye."
Subject(s): Children; Happiness; Snow; Winter; Childhood; Joy; Delight


AS I went forth, on my ten toes, a snowball hit me on the nose, and knocked that

organ out of place, a-spreading it all o'er my face. "My blessing on the merry
boys," I cried, "and on their harmless joys! I'd gladly sacrifice a nose, out
here among the virgin snows, to see the children glad and gay, as I was on a
bygone day. If I had noses by the score, I'd see them all bunged up and sore, if

that would make the children glad, and this gray world less grim and sad." And
while I spoke these words of cheer, a snowball hit me in the ear. It jarred my
spinal column loose, and addled all my vital juice. I leaned against a fence and

said, "What though that snowball split my head? Some boy was filled with utter
glee, when he let drive that shot at me, and if my ruined dome of thought, some

comfort to a kid has brought, it surely does not ache in vain; not futile is its

grist of pain." And as I feebly tottered by, a snowball hit me in the eye.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net