God, you have given me a son: Now help me make him worthy of His father's name, his father's love; Among companions, make him one Both clean of heart and clean of speech; Help me my son these things to teach. God, you have given me a boy: Now help me still my boy to rear: Too kind to quarrel, brave to fear, Too good for any sinful joy, Or, if temptation prove too strong, Too wise to follow folly long. God, you a son have given me: Help me to make my boy a man, Help me to teach him all I can Of honesty and decency -- Father of fathers, make me one, A fit example for a son. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE MOUNTAIN WHIPPOORWILL (A GEORGIA ROMANCE) by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET TO KNOW IN REVERIE THE ONLY PHENOMENOLOGY OF THE ABSOLUTE by HAYDEN CARRUTH TEARS AND KISSES by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON THE DOLL BELIEVERS by CLARENCE MAJOR |