Under 7 years Poetry Page

Whole duty of children

A child should always say what's true,
And speak when he is spoken to,
And behave mannerly at table:
At least as far as he is able.

*****
The grand old Duke of York

The grand old Duke of York,
He had ten thousand men;
He marched them up to the top of the hill
And he marched them down again!
And when they were up, they were up,
And when they were down, they were down,
And when they were neither down nor up,
They were neither up nor down.

*****

Go to bed early

Go to bed early wake up with joy;
Go to bed late - cross girl or boy.
Go to to bed early - ready for play;
Go to to bed late - moping all day.
Go to bed early - no pains or ills;
Go to bed late - doctors and pills.
Go to bed early - grow very tall;
Go to bed late - stay very small.

****

The Yak

As a friend to the children, commend me to the yak
You will find it exactly the thing:
It will carry and fetch, you can ride on its back,
Or lead it about with a string.
The Tartar who dwells in the plains of Tibet
(A desolate region of snow)
Has for centuries made it a nursery pet,
And surely the Tartar should know!
Then tell your papa where the yak can be got,
And if he is awfully rich,
He will buy you the creature - or else he will not
I cannot be positive which.

Hilaire Belloc.

*****