'TELL us a story,' comes the cry <br />From little lips when nights are cold, <br />And in the grate the flames leap high. <br />'Tell us a tale of pirates bold, <br />Or fairies hiding in the glen, <br />Or of a ship that's wrecked at sea.' <br />I fill my pipe, and there and then <br />Gather the children round my knee. <br /> <br />I give them all a role to play- <br />No longer are they youngsters small, <br />And I, their daddy, turning gray; <br />We are adventurers, one and all. <br />We journey forth as Robin Hood <br />In search of treasure, or to do <br />Some deed of daring, or of good, <br />Our hearts are ever brave and true. <br /> <br />We take a solemn oath to be <br />Defenders of the starry flag; <br />We brave the winter's stormy sea, <br />Or climb the rugged mountain crag, <br />To battle to the death with those <br />Who would defame our native land; <br />We pitch our camp among the snows <br />Or in the tropics burning sand. <br /> <br />We rescue maidens, young and fair, <br />Held captive long in prison towers; <br />We slay the villain in his lair, <br />For we're possessed of magic powers. <br />And though we desperately fight, <br />When by our foes we are beset, <br />We always triumph for the right; <br />We have not lost a battle yet. <br /> <br />It matters not how far we stray, <br />Nor where our battle lines may be, <br />We never get so far away <br />That we must spend a night at sea. <br />It matters not how high we climb, <br />How many foes our pathway block, <br />We always conquer just in time <br />To go to bed at 9 o'clock.<br /><br />Edgar Albert Guest<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/story-time-3/
