Twas A Quarter Past Eight

Twas a quarter past eight,
The wife still in bed
"Another late breakfast,"
The old man said.

That woman can sleep
Like a polar bear
At the Arctic Circle
In an ice cave lair.

She was sleeping well
When he arose at six
With things to do
And things to fix.

So he got busy
With many things
And the clock ticked on
As time took wings.

He cleaned out ashes,
Built the fire up good.
Then he went outside
And packed in wood.

Made a pot of coffee
And drank it down.
While the sun did rise
On the sleepy town.

Fed the cow and calf
And the bunnies, too.
And tried to think
Of other things to do.

So he lay on the couch
And read a bit
And thought of his woman
Who was sleeping yet.

So he looked at the clock
About a quarter til nine
Said, "Surely my woman
Will rise and shine,

"And make my breakfast
before I croak
Or before her ribs
I have to poke

"And say, 'Look woman,
Get out of that bed.
You have a good man
Who has to be fed!' "

Vester Cooper
c 2008. The Vester Cooper Trust. All rights reserved