They cost a lot, they're a heap of bother, They're mostly hungry and hard to fill, They trouble mother and worry father, They're rough and noisy enough, but still— They leave disorder the whole house over, And oh, how frowsy and grimed they get; They're always bringing some canine rover And wanting to keep the cur, and yet— They wear out clothes in a frightful fashion, They haven't a bit of respect for dress; For gathering junk they've an inborn passion, They clutter the house, but, nevertheless— Of order and duty they've little notion, The walk's unswept and the grass uncut; For books or school they show scant devotion, They're always getting in trouble, but— The neighbors' windows they're always breaking, In roughhouse gangs they are always banding, Their wild stunts keep us forever quaking, They're tough to handle, yet, notwithstanding— Boys are a nuisance, there's no denying They're mostly lawless and rarely tame, Their ways are savage, their manners trying, They're restless creatures, but, just the same— We wouldn't care for the house without them. Dear God, how empty and bleak 'twould be, So, though we constantly groan about them We're glad we've got them, because, you see— |