"Look at home", by Lily Oakley
Poem by Lily Oakley, published in 'Sunday Reading for the Young' (1906)
(reposted from David Malcolmson, in the Poets Illustrated FB group)
Look At Home
I've been so busy helping
Matilda Jane next door
To plant her seeds and water
And weed the flower-bed o'er,
I quite forgot, whilst teaching,
That I'd a garden, too,
And now it looks so dreadful
I don't know what to do.
Matilda has her garden
Quite close to mine, you know;
And it was much neglected,
And I just told her so.
She took the hints I gave her
Quite nicely, I'll allow,
And began to do her weeding
The way I showed her how.
Perhaps the stooping hurt her,
Her face grew very red,
And presently she raised herself
And quite indignant said:
'When I have worked to suit you,
And you've nothing else to teach,
Perhaps you'll do your garden,
And practice what you preach.
The weeds in it are awful,
And not a seed is sown;
Don't come and quiz my garden
Before you've done your own.'
And then she stood and waited
Till I went out of sight;
And the worst is I am thinking
Perhaps Matilda's right.