1

A job worth doing is worth doing well
echoed down from parents like a knell.


2

When nine, Joe goes to summer camp.
Athletic, agile, quick, he is a champ

at many sports. Though shy, he makes some friends,
a heavy, large-eyed boy no one defends

among them. Other boys decide to call
him “chubs” and “bug-eyes”, and love to watch him fall;

being neither athletic, agile nor quick
he often trips in games. They think he’s thick

because he’s fat (meaning they think he’s dumb) .
He looks to Joe for equilibrium.

But assailing Joe for a poor choice of a friend,
they hector him; Joe yields at the end.

Let’s do a good job on him, the rest all say,
and make a hell for “bug-eyes” on the last day.