Lament

Listen, children: / Your father is dead. / From his old coats / I’ll make you little jackets; / I’ll make you little trousers / From his old pants. / There’ll be in his pockets / Things he used to put there, / Keys and pennies / Covered with tobacco; / Dan shall have the pennies / To save in his bank; / Anne shall have the keys / To make a pretty noise with. / Life must go on, / And the dead be forgotten; / Life must go on, / Though good men die; / Anne, eat your breakfast; / Dan, take your medicine; / Life must go on; / I forget just why.