Poems Teachers Ask For, Book Two. Various

      I wish there were some wonderful place

      Called the Land of Beginning Again,

      Where all our mistakes and all our heartaches,

      And all our poor, selfish griefs

      Could be dropped, like a shabby old coat, at the door,

      And never put on again.

      I wish we could come on it all unaware,

      Like the hunter who finds a lost trail;

      And I wish that the one whom our blindness had done

      The greatest injustice of all

      Could be at the gate like the old friend that waits

      For the comrade he's gladdest to hail.

      We would find the things we intended to do,

      But forgot and remembered too late—

      Little praises unspoken, little promises broken,

      And all of the thousand and one

      Little duties neglected that might have perfected

      The days of one less fortunate.

      It wouldn't be possible not to be kind.

      In the Land of Beginning Again;

      And the ones we misjudged and the ones whom we grudged

      Their moments of victory here,

      Would find the grasp of our loving handclasp

      More than penitent lips could explain.

      For what had been hardest we'd know had been best,

      And what had seemed loss would be gain,

      For there isn't a sting that will not take wing

      When we've faced it and laughed it away;

      And I think that the laughter is most what we're after,

      In the Land of Beginning Again.

      So I wish that there were some wonderful place

      Called the Land of Beginning Again,

      Where all our mistakes and all our heartaches,

      And all our poor, selfish griefs

      Could be dropped, like a ragged old coat, at the door,

      And never put on again.

      Prop yer eyes wide open, Joey,

      Fur I've brought you sumpin' great.

      Apples? No, a derned sight better!

      Don't you take no int'rest? Wait!

      Flowers, Joe—I know'd you'd like 'em—

      Ain't them scrumptious? Ain't them high?

      Tears, my boy? Wot's them fur, Joey?

      There—poor little Joe—don't cry!

      I was skippin' past a winder

      W'ere a bang-up lady sot,

      All amongst a lot of bushes—

      Each one climbin' from a pot;

      Every bush had flowers on it—

      Pretty? Mebbe not! Oh, no!

      Wish you could 'a seen 'em growin',

      It was such a stunnin' show.

      Well, I thought of you, poor feller,

      Lyin' here so sick and weak,

      Never knowin' any comfort,

      And I puts on lots o' cheek.

      "Missus," says I, "if you please, mum,

      Could I ax you for a rose?

      For my little brother, missus—

      Never seed one, I suppose."

      Then I told her all about you—

      How I bringed you up—poor Joe!

      (Lackin' women folks to do it)

      Sich a imp you was, you know—

      Till you got that awful tumble,

      Jist as I had broke yer in

      (Hard work, too), to earn your livin'

      Blackin' boots for honest tin.

      How that tumble crippled of you,

      So's you couldn't hyper much—

      Joe, it hurted when I seen you

      Fur the first time with yer crutch.

      "But," I says, "he's laid up now, mum,

      'Pears to weaken every day";

      Joe, she up and went to cuttin'—

      That's the how of this bokay.

      Say! it seems to me, ole feller,

      You is quite yourself to-night—

      Kind o' chirk—it's been a fortnit

      Sense yer eyes has been so bright.

      Better? Well, I'm glad to hear it!

      Yes, they're mighty pretty, Joe.

      Smellin' of 'em's made you happy?

      Well, I thought it would, you know.

      Never see the country, did you?

      Flowers growin' everywhere!

      Some time when you're better, Joey,

      Mebbe I kin take you there.

      Flowers in heaven? 'M—I s'pose so;

      Dunno much about it, though;

      Ain't as fly as wot I might be

      On them topics, little Joe.

      But I've heerd it hinted somewheres

      That in heaven's golden gates

      Things is everlastin' cheerful—

      B'lieve that's what the Bible states.

      Likewise, there folks don't git hungry:

      So good people, w'en they dies,

      Finds themselves well fixed forever—

      Joe my boy, wot ails yer eyes?

      Thought they looked a little sing'ler.

      Oh, no! Don't you have no fear;

      Heaven was made fur such as you is—

      Joe, wot makes you look so queer?

      Here—wake up! Oh, don't look that way!

      Joe! My boy! Hold up yer head!

      Here's yer flowers—you dropped em, Joey.

      Oh, my God, can Joe be dead?

      Saint Augustine! well hast thou said,

      That of our vices we can frame

      A ladder, if we will but tread

      Beneath our feet each deed of shame!

      All common things, each day's events,

      That with the hour begin and end,

      Our pleasures and our discontents,

      Are rounds by which we may ascend.

      The low desire, the base design,

      That makes another's virtues less;

      The revel of the ruddy wine,

      And