Show THE He took the soul of a little child Fresh and plastic and And he hammered it into fashion Of a grown man's iron Early and late he beat at it AVith blows of a grown-up Till the little soul forgot itself And vanished in the The little soul forgot itself And wandered far And all that was left on earth at last Was a form of ductile He took the sou of a little and And he trod its dearest illusions Like dust beneath his He sneered at its simple And jeered at its gentle And made of all its hidden things A solemn He fastened it down with And tied it about with Till the gentle soul of the little child For very anguish He took the soul of a little child his finger and And with might and Until it grew all Ho deadened every natural And hushed its timid Until it lay as still as clay With submissive And then he began like a grownup To posh and force and Till the little child walked wearily soul and body He the soul of a little teacher And he slowly hammered it into the shape Of a grown-up blockhead's mind He bound it about with And fastened it with a Till the little soul was fain of death And hated his dreary And all that was left was a mockery Of childish hope and joy A puling monster They called the |