My young son asks me

My young son asks me: Must I learn mathematics?
What is the use, I feel like saying. That two pieces
Of bread are more than one’s about all you’ll end up with.
My young son asks me: Must I learn French?
What is the use, I feel like saying. This State’s collapsing.
And if you just rub your belly with your hand and
Groan, you’ll be understood with little trouble.
My young son asks me: Must I learn history?
What is the use, I feel like saying. Learn to stick
Your head in the earth, and maybe you’ll still survive.

Yes, learn mathematics, I tell him.
Learn your French, learn your history!

Similar poems:

The Heart asks Pleasure first The Heart asks Pleasure first And then Excuse from Pain And then those little Anodyness That deaden suffering And then […]...

All That Love Asks All that I ask, ‘says Love, ‘is just to stand And gaze, unchided, deep in thy dear eyes; For in […]...

The Lover Asks Forgiveness Because Of His Many Moods If this importunate heart trouble your peace With words lighter than air, Or hopes that in mere hoping flicker and […]...

Young Fellow My Lad “Where are you going, Young Fellow My Lad, On this glittering morn of May?” “I’m going to join the Colours, […]...

207. Song-I’m O’er Young to Marry yet Chorus.-I’m o’er young, I’m o’er young, I’m o’er young to marry yet; I’m o’er young, ‘twad be a sin To […]...

Young In New Orleans starving there, sitting around the bars, And at night walking the streets for hours, The moonlight always seemed fake To […]...

When I Was Young the Silk When I was young the silk Of my mind Hard as a peony head Unfurled And wind bloomed the parachute: […]...

The Silent Ones I’m just an ordinary chap Who comes home to his tea, And mostly I don’t care a rap What people […]...

One Crucifixion is recorded only One Crucifixion is recorded only How many be Is not affirmed of Mathematics Or History One Calvary exhibited to Stranger […]...

Young Bullfrogs JIMMY WIMBLETON listened a first week in June. Ditches along prairie roads of Northern Illinois Filled the arch of night […]...

Music The neighbour sits in his window and plays the flute. From my bed I can hear him, And the round […]...

And Thou Art Dead, As Young and Fair And thou art dead, as young and fair As aught of mortal birth; And form so soft, and charms so […]...

Young and Old 1 When all the world is young, lad, 2 And all the trees are green; 3 And every goose a […]...

Young Sea The sea is never still. It pounds on the shore Restless as a young heart, Hunting. The sea speaks And […]...

Young A thousand doors ago When I was a lonely kid In a big house with four Garages and it was […]...

The Debate Between Villon And His Heart Who’s that I hear?-It’s me-Who?-Your heart Hanging on by the thinnest thread I lose all my strength, substance, and fluid […]...

The Young that Died in Beauty If souls should only sheen so bright In heaven as in e’thly light, An’ nothen better wer the cease, How […]...

Young Love Come little Infant, Love me now, While thine unsuspected years Clear thine aged Fathers brow From cold Jealousie and Fears. […]...

Young Blood “But, sir,” I said, “they tell me the man is like to die!” The Canon shook his head indulgently. “Young […]...

325. Song-What can a Young Lassie do wi’ an Auld Man? WHAT can a young lassie, what shall a young lassie, What can a young lassie do wi’ an auld man? […]...

Snowdrops Do you know what I was, how I lived? You know What despair is; then Winter should have meaning for […]...

400. Song-Lovely young Jessie TRUE hearted was he, the sad swain o’ the Yarrow, And fair are the maids on the banks of the […]...

A Million Young Workmen, 1915 A MILLION young workmen straight and strong lay stiff on the grass and roads, And the million are now under […]...

Oh Who Is That Young Sinner Oh who is that young sinner with the handcuffs on his wrists? And what has he been after that they […]...

Young Munro the Sailor ‘Twas on a sunny morning in the month of May, I met a pretty damsel on the banks o’ the […]...

To A Young Poet Who Killed Himself When you had played with life a space And made it drink and lust and sing, You flung it back […]...

The doll’s wooing The little French doll was a dear little doll Tricked out in the sweetest of dresses; Her eyes were of […]...

To A Young Ass Its mother being tethered near it Poor little Foal of an oppressиd race! I love the languid patience of thy […]...

Has Sorrow Thy Young Days Shaded Has sorrow thy young days shaded, As clouds o’er the morning fleet? Too fast have those young days faded That, […]...

For the Young Who Want To Talent is what they say You have after the novel Is published and favorably Reviewed. Beforehand what You have is […]...