Josephine Preston Peabody

Church-Time

It feels Forever without End,
  The time I have to stay.
It's even harder to keep still
  Than pray and pray and pray.

The reading happens all the time;
  The praying rolls along;
And something makes them always sing
  A long, long song.

So when I've nearly gone to sleep,
  I make my Penny walk.--
I walk it up and down, to hear
  The talk and talk and talk.

And if I lose it on the floor
  Before they pass the Plate,
Why then there's nothing more to do
  But wait--wait--wait.--

Till, when you'd have to go to sleep
  Or else you'd have to die,
They let you Out,--and straight into
The Sky!

With nests all hiding up the Trees,
  And Roads to make you Run:--
And everything like Squirrels!--
In the Sun--the Sun!