Spoiler: show
Jigsaw Puzzle, by Russell Hoban
My beautiful picture of pirates and treasure
Is spoiled, and almost I don't want to start
To put it together; I've lost all the pleasure
I used to find in it; there's one missing part.
I know there's one missing—they lost it, the others,
The last time they played with my puzzle—and maybe
There's more than one missing: along with the brothers
And sisters who borrow my toys there's the baby.
There's a hole in the ship or the sea that it sails on,
And I said to my father, "Well, what shall I do?
It isn't the same now that some of it's gone."
He said, "Put it together; the world's like that too."
My beautiful picture of pirates and treasure
Is spoiled, and almost I don't want to start
To put it together; I've lost all the pleasure
I used to find in it; there's one missing part.
I know there's one missing—they lost it, the others,
The last time they played with my puzzle—and maybe
There's more than one missing: along with the brothers
And sisters who borrow my toys there's the baby.
There's a hole in the ship or the sea that it sails on,
And I said to my father, "Well, what shall I do?
It isn't the same now that some of it's gone."
He said, "Put it together; the world's like that too."
Spoiler: show
At Annika's Place, by Siv Widerberg and translated by Verne Moberg
At home at Annika's place
they talk to you
like you were big
"What do you think?"
"What's the best way, do you think?"
"What do you think we should do?"
And then:
"Really.
Do you mean it?"
"Maybe so."
"Well, you're really right about that!"
Or:
"No-o-ow, I wonder really
if that's right..."
I wish it was like Annika's place
at our place.
At home at Annika's place
they talk to you
like you were big
"What do you think?"
"What's the best way, do you think?"
"What do you think we should do?"
And then:
"Really.
Do you mean it?"
"Maybe so."
"Well, you're really right about that!"
Or:
"No-o-ow, I wonder really
if that's right..."
I wish it was like Annika's place
at our place.
Spoiler: show
As I Was Standing In the Street, traditional
As I was standing in the street
As quiet as can be
A great big ugly man came up
And tied his horse to me
As I was standing in the street
As quiet as can be
A great big ugly man came up
And tied his horse to me
Spoiler: show
Incident, by Countee Cullen
Once riding in Old Baltimore
Heart filled, head filled with glee
I saw a Baltimorean
Staring straight at me.
Now I was eight and very small
And he was no whit bigger
And so I smiled, but he
Stuck out his tongue and called me nigger.
I saw the whole of Baltimore
From May until November
Of all the things that happened there—
That's all that I remember.
Once riding in Old Baltimore
Heart filled, head filled with glee
I saw a Baltimorean
Staring straight at me.
Now I was eight and very small
And he was no whit bigger
And so I smiled, but he
Stuck out his tongue and called me nigger.
I saw the whole of Baltimore
From May until November
Of all the things that happened there—
That's all that I remember.
Spoiler: show
Poem, by Langston Hughes
I loved my friend.
He went away from me.
There's nothing more to say.
The poem ends,
Soft as it began—
I loved my friend.
I loved my friend.
He went away from me.
There's nothing more to say.
The poem ends,
Soft as it began—
I loved my friend.
Spoiler: show
Listen to the Mustn'ts, Shel Silverstein
Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child
Listen to the DON'TS
Listen to the SHOULDN'TS
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON'TS
Listen to the NEVER HAVES
Then listen close to me—
Anything can happen, child,
ANYTHING can be.
Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child
Listen to the DON'TS
Listen to the SHOULDN'TS
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON'TS
Listen to the NEVER HAVES
Then listen close to me—
Anything can happen, child,
ANYTHING can be.
Spoiler: show
You Need to Have an Iron Rear, by Jack Prelutsky
You need to have an iron rear
To sit upon an cactus
Or otherwise, at least a year
Of very painful practice.
You need to have an iron rear
To sit upon an cactus
Or otherwise, at least a year
Of very painful practice.
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