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A NUT HARD TO CRACK, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Says john to his mother, 'look here! Look here
Last Line: "your nut will be hard to crack."
Subject(s): Nuts & Nutting; Conduct Of Life


SAYS John to his mother, "Look here! look here!
For my brain is on the rack --
I have gotten a nut as smooth to the sight
As the shell of an egg, and as fair and white,
Except for a streak of black.
Why that should mar it I can't make clear."
And Johnny's mother replied, "My dear,
Your nut will be hard to crack."

John, calling louder, "Look here! look here!
I want to get on the track,
And trace the meaning, for never a nut
Had outside fairer than this one, but
For this ugly streak of black!
I can't for my life its use make clear."
And Johnny's mother replied, "My dear,
Your nut will be hard to crack."

Then John, indignant, "Look here! look here!
And he gave the hammer a thwack;
And there was the nut quite broke in two,
And all across it, and through and through,
The damaging streak of black!
"It grew with his growth," he says, "that's clear,
But why!" And his mother replied, "My dear,
That nut will be hard to crack."

Then John, in anger, "Look here! look here!
You may have your wisdom back.
The nut is cracked -- broke all to splint,
But it does n't give me even a hint
Toward showing why the black
Should spoil the else sweet meat." "My dear,"
Says Johnny's mother, "it's very clear
Your nut will be hard to crack.

"For, John, whichever way we steer,
There is evil on our track;
And whence it came, or how it fell,
No wisest man of all can tell.
We only know that black
Is mixed with white, and pain with bliss,
So all that I can say is this,
Your nut will be hard to crack."





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