A Child's Fancy

His chin went up and down, and chewed at nothing,

His back was bent-the man was old and tired;

Toothless and frail, he hobbled on his way,

Admiring nothing, and by none admired:

Unless it was that child, with eager eyes,

Who stared amazed to see so strange a man,

And hobbled home himself, with shoulders raised,

Trying to make his chin go up and down;

Unless it was that much-affected child,

With rounded shoulders, like the old man seen-

Who asked his mother why he was not made

The wonderful strange sight he might have been.