Dear children: In this spelling bee
You have my deepest sympathy;
For, in the days when I was yongue,
Tho' werds tripped glibly from my toung,
Whene'er I came to spell them oubt
I found myself in dreadful dout
Trigh as I wood, strive as I mite,
I cood not tell the rong from wright.
I never new, I never saugh
A spelling book, but I cried "Faw!
There's not won rool in awl the lot
That has not sum exceptions got."
I red the lessons threw and threw,
Yet when into a man I grough
I never coodd lern hough to spell
Dou yew? I hope yough do -- and well.
First published in The Herald, 8 July 1930
You have my deepest sympathy;
For, in the days when I was yongue,
Tho' werds tripped glibly from my toung,
Whene'er I came to spell them oubt
I found myself in dreadful dout
Trigh as I wood, strive as I mite,
I cood not tell the rong from wright.
I never new, I never saugh
A spelling book, but I cried "Faw!
There's not won rool in awl the lot
That has not sum exceptions got."
I red the lessons threw and threw,
Yet when into a man I grough
I never coodd lern hough to spell
Dou yew? I hope yough do -- and well.
First published in The Herald, 8 July 1930