Back To School

Fell in the creek twice yesterday! Slipped and slid from a load of hay, Stepped on a stone and bruised my toe; Hardly walk ’cause I’m blistered so; Hit my knee till it’s blue and black, Sat in the sun and burned my back When I went to swim, but my, I’m glad! Best vacation I ever had.

Slid off the old red barn last week. Wind all gone so I couldn’t speak When they laid me in upon the bed And put cold water on my head. Got poison-ivy on my legs When I went in the weeds to look for eggs; But I’ve had more fun since I don’t know when! Hate to go back to school again.

Burned my hands till they’re awful sore When the calf ran out of the big barn door And I tried to hold the rope and fell Most twenty feet down the old dry well. Lost my hat that was almost new, In the great big lake, when the high wind blew; And my pants are torn from many a climb, But I never had such a summer-time.

Ate poison berries by the creek Till they thought I’d die, I felt so sick; But they gave me ipecac to take, And it cured up all my stomach-ache! Got stung by bees, but I got stung best When I started home with a hornet’s nest, And I all swelled up; but I’m gone down now, And it’s all in a boy’s life, anyhow!

Nose all peeled till it’s red and rough, Hands all brown, but I’m awful tough From the exercise, and I’m big and strong, ’Cause I hoed in a corn-field all day long. And my uncle said that I might stay For harvest-time, and he’d give me pay; And I’d like to stay, but I have to go Back home to school, ’cause my Ma said so.