Poetry Sunday: Father

I believe that poet Edgar Guest must have had his tongue firmly planted in his cheek when he wrote these lines!

Father

by  Edgar Guest

My father knows the proper way 
The nation should be run; 
He tells us children every day 
Just what should now be done. 
He knows the way to fix the trusts, 
He has a simple plan; 
But if the furnace needs repairs, 
We have to hire a man. 

My father, in a day or two 
Could land big thieves in jail; 
There’s nothing that he cannot do, 
He knows no word like “fail.” 
“Our confidence” he would restore, 
Of that there is no doubt; 
But if there is a chair to mend, 
We have to send it out. 

All public questions that arise, 
He settles on the spot; 
He waits not till the tumult dies, 
But grabs it while it’s hot. 
In matters of finance he can 
Tell Congress what to do; 
But, O, he finds it hard to meet 
His bills as they fall due. 

It almost makes him sick to read 
The things law-makers say; 
Why, father’s just the man they need, 
He never goes astray. 
All wars he’d very quickly end, 
As fast as I can write it; 
But when a neighbor starts a fuss, 
’Tis mother has to fight it. 

In conversation father can 
Do many wondrous things; 
He’s built upon a wiser plan 
Than presidents or kings. 
He knows the ins and outs of each 
And every deep transaction; 
We look to him for theories, 
But look to ma for action.

~~~

And to all my readers who are fathers, especially my number one reader, Bob ...


Comments

  1. Wow, that's hysterical:
    "We look to him for theories,
    But look to ma for action." :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. And Happy Father's Day to your hubby and your male readers, Dorothy! :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Carmen. I'll pass along your good wishes.

      Delete
  3. Thank you. Appreciate this

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    Replies
    1. I hope your day has been everything you would want it to be, Martin.

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  4. I really like this. Thanks so much for sharing.

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    Replies
    1. It's a fun poem, isn't it? I get the feeling that Guest really enjoyed writing it!

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