The Sentinel
I'm only a little toy dough-boy,
And I have neither sorrows nor fears;
But I patiently wait,
With my gun pointed straight
And my helmet pulled down on my ears.
The ugly wood lions and tigers
May show their white teeth if they please,
If the whole Noah's ark
Should threaten and bark
It wouldn't unstiffen my knees.
And some day when you are a soldier
With your helmet pulled down on your ears
I'll still be as straight
As I wonder and wait,
Standing my watch through the years.
Royalty
If I should meet a king or queen
Upon the street some day,
Do you think that I'd be frightened?
Why, I'd know just what to say.
"Your reverend majesties," I'd say,
And humbly bow the knee,
"I am your very humble swain,
And will you honor me?"
The king would strike my shoulder
With a sword of passing might,
He'd lift me grandly to my feet,
He'd say, "Arise, O Knight!"
Oh, I would not be frightened,
For I've seen kings galore,
Don't you think it's just to learn of them
That playing cards are for?
Crackers
Oh, there are very many kinds
Of crackers, great and small,
Saltines and ginger-snaps and such,
I'd like to eat them all;
But there's a kind of cracker
That I need much worse, A bright red giant cracker
To set off under nurse!