Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE COB HOUSE, by KATE PUTNAM OSGOOD First Line: Willy and charley, eight and ten Last Line: Might learn a lesson of master will. Subject(s): Children; Childhood | ||||||||
WILLY and Charley, eight and ten, Were under the porch in the noonday heat; I could see and hear the little men, Unseen, myself, in the window-seat. Will on a cob house was hard at work, With a zeal that was funny enough to me. At eight one has hardly learned to shirk; That comes later, -- as you will see. For Charley, by virtue of riper age, Did nothing but stand and criticise; His hands in his pockets, stage by stage He watched the tottering castle rise. "And now, after all your fuss," says he, "S'posin' it tumbles down again?" "Oh," Will answers as cool as could be, "Of course I should build it better then." Charley shook sagely his curly head, Opened his eyes of dancing brown, And then for a final poser said, "But s'posin' it always kept tumblin' down?" Will, however, was not of the stuff At a loss to be taken so. "Why, then," he answered ready enough, "I should keep on building it better, you know." And, seeing the wise world's wisest knot Cut at a stroke with such simple skill, Older people than Charley, I thought, Might learn a lesson of Master Will. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE THREE CHILDREN by JOSEPHINE JACOBSEN CHILDREN SELECTING BOOKS IN A LIBRARY by RANDALL JARRELL COME TO THE STONE ... by RANDALL JARRELL THE LOST WORLD by RANDALL JARRELL A SICK CHILD by RANDALL JARRELL CONTINENT'S END by ROBINSON JEFFERS ON THE DEATH OF FRIENDS IN CHILDHOOD by DONALD JUSTICE THE POET AT SEVEN by DONALD JUSTICE DRIVING HOME THE COWS by KATE PUTNAM OSGOOD CAMOMILE TEA by KATHERINE MANSFIELD THE LOVER MOURNS FOR THE LOSS OF LOVE by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS |
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