A Prayer WHOSE prayer???
March 2012
Alexandra Duarte
1
Stanza 1
Let the children in our care
Clean their shoes and comb their hair;
Come to school on time – and neat,
Blow their noses, wipe their feet.
March 2012
Alexandra Duarte
2
Stanza 1
Let them, Lord, not eat in class
Or rush into the hall en masse.
Let them show some self-control;
Let them slow down; let them stroll!
March 2012
Alexandra Duarte
3
Stanza 2
Let the children in our charge Not be violent or large;
Not be sick on the school-trip bus, Not be cleverer than us; March 2012
Alexandra Duarte
4
Stanza 2
Not be unwashed, loud or mad,
(with a six-foot mother or a seven-foot dad).
Let them, please, say “drew” not “drawed”;
Let them know the answers, Lord! March 2012
Alexandra Duarte
5
Poem by Allan Ahlberg (born in 1938 / England. Janet and Allan Ahlberg, husband and wife, are the creators of many popular books – Allan wrote the books and Janet illustrated them. They worked together for 20 years until Janet died of cancer in 1994. Allan still writes.
Further info: http://www.penguin.co.uk/nf/Author/AuthorPage/0,,1000000334,00.html http://www.poetryarchive.org/childrensarchive/singlePoet.do?poetId=81
March 2012
Alexandra Duarte
6