I'm rather "getting up there" as they say...having been born in 1910. I'm hoping a member of this group can help me find a poem I learned in 1918 and also recited in Albany, NY at an elocution contest. For the life of me, I DO NOT recall the title or the author, but in school, I think the teacher referred to the poem as either "My Sister Will Be Down in a Minute" or "Sister's Beau".
Here are the lines I remember:
My sister will be down in a minute
And says you may wait if you please
And says I may stay here with you
If I promise her never to tease
Nor speak til you spoke to me first
But that's nonsense..
Why how would you know just where to sit?
That chair hasn't any springs in it
And we never use it a bit.
We keep it to match with the sofa
But Jack says it would be just like you to
SIT yourself down upon it and knock out
The very last screw!
Suppose you try...I won't tell!
You're afraid to..
You're afraid they would think it was mean.
Now here's the photograph album
If you're sure that your fingers are clean.
Sister says sometimes I daub it
But she only says that when she's cross.
Now here's HER picture...you know it.
But SHE isn't very good looking at all..
Now here's ME...the best of 'em all
And the only one that could be bought...
At least that was the message to Pa
From the photograph man where I sat..
That he wouldn't print off anymore
'Til he first got his money for that!
(Pa says you're as poor as a churchmouse..
Now are ya? And how poor are they??)
(missing lines here that I cannot recall anymore
:-(()
Well, I must go...sister's coming
But I wish I could just wait to see
If she runs up to kiss you
The way she used to kiss Lee!!
Well...that's ALL I can recall at present but once knew it well. I always wondered who the author was and where to find the complete poem. If someone can help me with this, it would be very much appreciated. I also have another one that I recited, but do know the entire poem...just not the author and will post the poem later.
Thank you in advance for all your help. I have been searching the Net for some time for information on this funny and cute poem taught to me by my teacher, but haven't had any luck. Other poems I learned for elocution contests such as Lochinvar for which I won first prize and The Raven are so well-known, but these other poems remain mysteries as far as authors.
Thank you so very much everyone for your help. I have severe RA (rheumatoid arthritis, and when it hits my hands badly have trouble keying, but I do check messages daily.
Sincerely,
CATLADY (who has 17 cats and four dogs) :-))