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Philip Ogley's avatar

Looking forward to some Philadelphia cheese later

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Brent Abrahamson's avatar

Ben might like this poem:

You are old, Father William," the young man said,

"And your hair has become very white;

And yet you incessantly stand on your head—

Do you think, at your age, it is right?"

"In my youth," Father William replied to his son,

"I feared it might injure the brain;

But now that I'm perfectly sure I have none,

Why, I do it again and again."

"You are old," said the youth, "as I mentioned before,

And have grown most uncommonly fat;

Yet you turned a back-somersault in at the door—

Pray, what is the reason of that?"

"In my youth," said the sage, as he shook his grey locks,

"I kept all my limbs very supple

By the use of this ointment—one shilling the box—

Allow me to sell you a couple."

"You are old," said the youth, "and your jaws are too weak

For anything tougher than suet;

Yet you finished the goose, with the bones and the beak—

Pray, how did you manage to do it?"

"In my youth," said his father, "I took to the law,

And argued each case with my wife;

And the muscular strength, which it gave to my jaw,

Has lasted the rest of my life."

"You are old," said the youth, "one would hardly suppose

That your eye was as steady as ever;

Yet you balanced an eel on the end of your nose—

What made you so awfully clever?"

"I have answered three questions, and that is enough,"

Said his father; "don't give yourself airs!

Do you think I can listen all day to such stuff?

Be off, or I'll kick you downstairs!"

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Ben Ulansey's avatar

I’m glad that some profundity could come from me being upside down! I’d never heard that one before. I can’t help but wonder whether the song “Father and Son” is a vague reference to it. Thanks for sharing, Brent!

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Brent Abrahamson's avatar

"You Are Old, Father William" is a poem by Lewis Carroll. It has appeared in more than one of his “Alice” books. You shouldn’t spend too much time on the other side of the looking glass, Ben.

There is a warning from long before you were born.: “Go Ask Alice" by the band Jefferson Airplane. Released in 1967, the song is inspired by Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"

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Linda Blatnik's avatar

I think you are having fun at the expense of my eyes and neck LOL. NOW STOP. Freeman will back me up on this.

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Linda Blatnik's avatar

seen it

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