The Things My Father Said

                                                 

When I helped father on the farm some thirty years ago,

He taught me many many things a youngster ought to know;

And tho’ I thought me very wise, as boys are apt to do,

I’ve found the things that father said in every instance true.

The good old fashioned maxim and the truthful things he said,

As I go down the road of life keep running through my head;

And I am sure my humble life a sorry one would be

If father hadn’t said the things he used to say to me.

He told me when we laid the wall the biggest rocks should go

Down at the bottom first of all and then for me to throw

The little ones to fill the chinks and on the top we’d place

Some big flat stones to hold them in and give it form and grace.

And I can draw from that today a lesson good and true;

The big stones are one’s character, and health and habits, too;

These should be laid first of all, and then the chinks filled in

With education, wisdom, love, and thoughts averse to sin;

And on top of these should go the big flat stones called “deeds”,

The noble acts, the charity, which everybody needs;

And this will give the wall we make a form of strength and grace

Which glads the eyes of every soul, which time cannot efface.

And I could write and write and write on things my father said,

Those good, old fashioned saying which keep running through my head;

But I refrain, and ask of you, the rest of your life through,

To ponder o’er the truthful things your father said to you.

July 10, ‘99