Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, STANDING THE GAFF, by WALT MASON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

STANDING THE GAFF, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: If you have made some costly break, don't
Last Line: Station, and with it you will always hold the world's respect and admiration.
Subject(s): Admiration; Presidents, United States; Washington, George (1732-1799)


IF you have made some costly break, don't demonstrate your streak of yellow, by

saying, "'Twasn't my mistake—the blame rests on the other fellow." Far
manlier it is to say, "I am the author of that blunder, and if you do not like
my way, just soak your head and go to thunder." George Washington chopped down a

tree, for which he doubtless knew he'd catch it. His father said to him, said
he, "Who did this with his little hatchet?" If George had been a tin-horn sport,

he would have said, "That Johnson laddie cut down your prune tree good and
short, so go and take his hide off, daddy." But George was not a ten-cent youth;

in him there was no streak of yellow; when he did wrong he told the truth, nor
blamed things on the other fellow. So he said, "Dad, if you must be worked up
about so small a trifle, why, I cut down your measly tree—I did it with my

flobert rifle." That spirit is as good as gold, though found in low or lofty
station, and with it you will always hold the world's respect and admiration.





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