THE BOY'S IDEAL

I must be fit for a child to play with,

Fit for a youngster to walk away with;

Fit for his trust and fit to be

Ready to take him upon my knee;

Whether I win or I lose my fight,

I must be fit for my boy at night.

I must be fit for a child to come to,

Speech there is that I must be dumb to;

I must be fit for his eyes to see,

He must find nothing of shame in me;

Whatever I make of myself, I must

Square to my boy's unfaltering trust.

I must be fit for a child to follow,

Scorning the places where loose men wallow;

Knowing how much he shall learn from me,

I must be fair as I'd have him be;

I must come home to him, day by day,

Clean as the morning I went away.

I must be fit for a child's glad greeting,

His are eyes that there is no cheating;

He must behold me in every test,

Not at my worst, but my very best;

He must be proud when my life is done

To have men know that he is my son.