ease,
If the whole Noah's ark
Should threaten and bark
It wouldn't unstiffen my knees.

And some day when you are a soldier
With your helmet pulled down on your ears
I'll still be as straight
As I wonder and wait,
Standing my watch through the years.

Royalty

If I should meet a king or queen
Upon the street some day,
Do you think that I'd be frightened?
Why, I'd know just what to say.

"Your reverend majesties," I'd say,
And humbly bow the knee,
"I am your very humble swain,
And will you honor me?"

The king would strike my shoulder
With a sword of passing might,
He'd lift me grandly to my feet,
He'd say, "Arise, O Knight!"

Oh, I would not be frightened,
For I've seen kings galore,
Don't you think it's just to learn of them
That playing cards are for?

Crackers

Oh, there are very many kinds
Of crackers, great and small,
Saltines and ginger-snaps and such,
I'd like to eat them all;

But there's a kind of cracker
That I _need much worse,_
A bright red giant cracker
To set off under nurse!

The Drum

The drum's a very quiet fellow
When he's left alone;
But oh, how he does roar and bellow,
Rattle, snap and groan,
Clatter, spatter, dash and patter,
Rumble, shriek and moan
Whene'er I take my sticks in hand
And beat him soundly for the band.

Theatricals

Now I'll play at being queen,
Hold my head quite stiff and haughty,
Always proud and never naughty,
Sweeping grandly down the green.

Or I'll be a moonlight fairy,
Bobbing lightly on the river,
Dancing where the shadows quiver,
Winged and shining, swift and wary.

If the doctor thinks I'm sick,
He's just silly. _I am not!_
I'm just tired and very hot,
Hating drink that's sweet and thick.

Flowers dance across the walls,
Mother's face seems far away,
She's the audience, I'm the play,
She will clap for curtain calls.

No!--I do not want to play!
Seven thrones around my bed,
Circling gold about my head--
Angels always fly away!

Sally

If I were a stately sailboat,
I'd sail to Zanzibar,
I'd sail the seven secret seas,
Where the secret cities