The infant at home Unable to roam, And enter in the fields of strife, Drops on hands and knees, In--go as you please, And starts in the gallop of life. He often is dumped And severely bumped, When he is learning how to walk; But he keeps trying, Even while crying, Until able to tread the chalk. Next he tries talking, While still or walking, And coins words not used in the past; But keeps on gaining, Without much training, And really gets on quite fast. He’ll soon be at school And breaking the rule, Which never is fit till it’s broke; ’Tis always too tight, For boys that do right, And hangs on their neck like a yoke. At Sunday School next, He watches the text, And the lesson that’s given out; The teachers are kind, And easy to mind, And of Christ he learns much about. He’s now a strong boy, And with shouts of joy He becomes a player of ball; He knows where he’s at, Soon learns how to bat, And seldom is caught in a fall. He wants a pony To be his crony, And to carry him on its back; He masters his horse, And shows no remorse, When he hits his pony a whack. He loves the water, Dives like an otter, And swims with the grace of a seal; He flounders and flops, And finally stops, With skin slippery as an eel. He now wants a boat To sail and to float, And thinks he could manage a ship; He bends too much sail. Is dumped o’er the rail, And may be ship-wrecked the first trip. He has ambition, And disposition, To tackle everything men do; What he lacks in skill, Is made up with will, And he always finds a way thru. He is now of age, And tho not a sage, Is a full fledged American; Is proud of the fact, And ready to act, And to do all the good he can. He votes and would fight For justice and right, And manfully freedom defend: No traitor is he, And never will be, His country can on him depend. When in politics, He despises tricks, And sets an example to all: He’s right in the swim, Has courage and vim, And wins without doing things small. In war a hero, When cold as zero, Or hot as the entrance to hell; Never stops to think, Nor halts at the brink, But bravely does his duty well.