A Genteel Family.



Some children are so naughty,
And some are very good;
But the Genteel Family
Did always what it should.
  
They put on gloves when they went out,
And ran not in the street;
And on wet days not one of them
Had ever muddy feet.
  
Then they were always so polite,
And always thanked you so;
And never threw their toys about,
As naughty children do.
  
They always learnt their lessons
When it was time they should;
And liked to eat up all their crusts
They were so very good.
  
And then their frocks were never torn,
Their tuckers always clean;
And their hair so very tidy
Always quite fit to be seen.
  
Then they made calls with their mamma
And were so very neat;
And learnt to bow becomingly
When they met you in the street.
  
And really they were everything
That children ought to be;
And well may be examples now
For little you and me.
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Submitted on August 03, 2020

Modified on March 05, 2023

49 sec read
7

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABAB CDXD XXCX XBXB XEAE XDXD XAXA
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 813
Words 164
Stanzas 7
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Kate Greenaway

Kate Greenaway Catherine Greenaway was a childrens book illustrator and writer Her first book Under The Window 1879 a collection of simple perfectly idyllic verses concerning children who endlessly gathered posies untouched by the Industrial Revolution was a best-seller more…

All Kate Greenaway poems | Kate Greenaway Books

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    "A Genteel Family." Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/56032/a-genteel-family.>.

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