Classic and Contemporary Poetry
MOTHER'S EXCUSES, by EDGAR ALBERT GUEST Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Mother for me made excuses Last Line: Put it over on him, too. Alternate Author Name(s): Guest, Eddie Subject(s): Mothers | ||||||||
Mother for me made excuses When I was a little tad; Found some reason for my conduct When it had been very bad. Blamed it on a recent illness Or my nervousness and told Father to be easy with me Every time he had to scold. And I knew, as well as any Roguish, healthy lad of ten, Mother really wasn't telling Truthful things to father then. I knew I deserved the whipping, Knew that I'd been very bad, Knew that mother knew it also When she intervened with dad. I knew that my recent illness Hadn't anything to do With the mischief I'd been up to, And I knew that mother knew. But remembering my fever And my nervous temperament, Father put away the shingle And postponed the sad event. Now his mother, when I threaten Punishment for this and that, Calls to mind the dreary night hours When beside his bed we sat. Comes and tells me that he's nervous, That's the reason he was bad, And the boy and doting mother Put it over on the dad. Some day when he's grown as I am, With a boy on mischief bent, He will hear the timeworn story Of the nervous temperament. And remembering the shingle That aside I always threw, All I hope is that he'll let them Put it over on him, too. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MY MOTHER'S HANDS by ANDREW HUDGINS CONTINENT'S END by ROBINSON JEFFERS IN THE 25TH YEAR OF MY MOTHER'S DEATH by JUDY JORDAN THE PAIDLIN' WEAN by ALEXANDER ANDERSON BLASTING FROM HEAVEN by PHILIP LEVINE |
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