How doth the little
Improve his shining tail,
And pour the waters of the
On every golden scale!
How cheerfully he seems to
How neatly spreads his claws,
And welcomes little fishes in,
With gently smiling jaws!
Composition date is unknown - the above date represents the first publication date.
The lyrical form of this poem is abab.1.
A parody of Isaac Watt's "Against Idleness and Mischief" (1715), one of the most popularmoral poems that parents and teachers have served up to children.
Alice is right: she does not hear the "right words."
