Attend my words, my gentle knave, 
And you shall learn from me 
How boys at dinner may behave 
With due propriety. 

Guard well your hands: two things have been 
Unfitly used by some; 
The trencher for a tambourine, 
The table for a drum. 

We could not lead a pleasant life, 
And 'twould be finished soon, 
If peas were eaten with the knife, 
And gravy with the spoon. 

Eat slowly: only men in rags 
And gluttons old in sin 
Mistake themselves for carpet bags 
And tumble victuals in. 

The privy pinch, the whispered tease, 
The wild, unseemly yell -- 
When children do such things as these, 
We say, "It is not well." 

Endure your mother's timely stare, 
Your father's righteous ire, 
And do not wriggle on your chair 
Like flannel in the fire. 

Be silent: you may chatter loud 
When you are fully grown, 
Surrounded by a silent crowd 
Of children of your own. 

If you should suddenly feel bored 
And much inclined to yawning, 
Your little hand will best afford 
A modest useful awning. 

Think highly of the Cat: and yet 
You need not therefore think 
That portly strangers like your pet 
To share their meat and drink. 

The end of dinner comes ere long 
When, once more full and free, 
You cheerfully may bide the gong 
That calls you to your tea. 

Added: Apr 27 2005 | Viewed: 492 times | Comments (0)

Poet: Sir Walter Raleigh
Poem: Stans Puer ad Mensam

There are no comments for this poem. Why not be the first one to post something about it?

Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, Stans Puer ad Mensam, has not yet been commented on. You can click here to be the first to post a comment about it. Of course you can also always discuss poems by Sir Walter Raleigh with others on the Poetry Connection poetry forum!