There was a little comet who lived near the Milky Way! <br />She loved to wander out at night and jump about and play. <br /> <br />The mother of the comet was a very good old star; <br />She used to scold her reckless child for venturing out too far. <br /> <br />She told her of the ogre, Sun, who loved on stars to sup, <br />And who asked no better pastime than in gobbling comets up. <br /> <br />But instead of growing cautious and of showing proper fear, <br />The foolish little comet edged up nearer, and more near. <br /> <br />She switched her saucy tail along right where the Sun could see, <br />And flirted with old Mars, and was as bold as bold could be. <br /> <br />She laughed to scorn the quiet stars who never frisked about; <br />She said there was no fun in life unless you ventured out. <br /> <br />She liked to make the planets stare, and wished no better mirth <br />Than just to see the telescopes aimed at her from the Earth. <br /> <br />She wondered how so many stars could mope through nights and days, <br />And let the sickly faced old Moon get all the love and praise. <br /> <br />And as she talked and tossed her head and switched her shining trail <br />The staid old mother star grew sad, her cheek grew wan and pale. <br /> <br />For she had lived there in the skies a million years or more, <br />And she had heard gay comets talk in just this way before. <br /> <br />And by and by there came an end to this gay comet's fun. <br />She went a tiny bit too far-and vanished in the Sun! <br /> <br />No more she swings her shining trail before the whole world's sight, <br />But quiet stars she laughed to scorn are twinkling every night.<br /><br />Ella Wheeler Wilcox<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-naughty-little-comet/
