A awoke and said arise,

Out of bed bounced B.

C said come 'tis time for school,

Don't dawdle there said D.



E in earnest  hurried off,

F was full of fun.

G got up and galloped off,

H in haste did  run.



I was just inside the school,

And  just in time was J.

K took his kite and so did L,

Were late I'm grieved to say.



M marched off with merry heart,

N never stopped to see.

O fell over on the road, 

And was picked up by P.



Quiet Q was  quite in time,

R rushed up real late.

S was smiling at the door,

T at ten past eight.



U understood it was time for  school,

V vanished from the spot.

W wondered where he was,

X excited got.



Y was slow and steady,

Z had followed on.

When mother came downstairs,

Her little flock was gone.



Anonymous

It is not known where this poem originated. It was told to my father Allan P. Clarke (1916-1998) by his father Silas (1882 - 1936 ). It is believed that he heard it recited when he worked at Sidney mines, Nova Scotia in 1920. He taught it to my father to help him remember the alphabet. It is noteworthy that my father's teacher at the time was Miss Eva Peach who lived at Peach's Farm in Carbonear. She later married Mr. William Duff..

Frank E. Clarke