WHEN WILL WE BE OLD ENOUGH?

"Little children should be seen

And not heard," folks say.

We must scarcely speak aloud

When company comes to stay

For breakfast or for dinner

Or for a cup of tea,

So solemn and so quiet

We little folks must be.

We must not tell that Daddy

Once used an awful word

The very, very worstest

That ever could be heard.

Nor how our mother curls her hair

And powders well her nose

And sometimes takes an hour or more

To put on her best clothes.

We dare not tell how sister

Was spanked for being rude

And how our baby brother

Was choked upon his food.

In fact we must not speak at all

Except words no and yes

And when we swallow all our thoughts

They cause us great distress.

So we are wondering how much more

We kiddies yet must grow

Ere we can speak out what we think

And tell all things we know.