A VALENTINE

This is a valentine for you.

Mother made it. She's real smart,

I told her that I loved you true

And you were my sweetheart.

And then she smiled, and then she winked,

And then she said to father,

“Beginning young!” and then he thinked,

And then he said, “Well, rather.”

Then mother's eyes began to shine,

And then she made this valentine:

“If you love me as I love you,

No knife shall cut our love in two,”

And father laughed and said, “How new!”

And then he said, “It's time for bed.”

So, when I'd said my prayers,

Mother came running up the stairs

And told me I might send the rhymes,

And then she kissed me lots of times.

Then I turned over to the wall

And cried about you, and — that's all.