Mischief Poem by Jane Taylor

Mischief

Rating: 3.0


Let those who're fond of idle tricks,
Of throwing stones, and hurling bricks,
And all that sort of fun,
Now hear a tale of idle Jim,
That warning they may take by him,
Nor do as he has done.

In harmless sport or healthful play
He did not pass his time away,
Nor took his pleasure in it;
For mischief was his only joy:
No book, or work, or even toy,
Could please him for a minute.

A neighbour's house he'd slyly pass,
And throw a stone to break the glass,
And then enjoy the joke!
Or, if a window open stood,
He'd throw in stones, or bits of wood,
To frighten all the folk.

If travellers passing chanced to stay,
Of idle Jim to ask the way,
He never told them right;
And then, quite harden'd in his sin,
Rejoiced to see them taken in,
And laugh'd with all his might.

He'd tie a string across the street,
Just to entangle people's feet,
And make them tumble down:
Indeed, he was disliked so much,
That no good boy would play with such
A nuisance to the town.

At last the neighbours, in despair,
This mischief would no longer bear:
And so ­to end the tale,
This lad, to cure him of his ways,
Was sent to spend some dismal days
Within the county jail.

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
M N 31 March 2009

lamentation loll Dian lame

2 1 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 17 May 2022

Display of mischief? how softly said, it is misbehaving and bullying neighbours, not giving people good information to continue on their way in this poem by Jane Taylor

0 0 Reply
Sylvia Frances Chan 17 May 2022

2) we can read the unpleasant experiences from her time, as punishment a few days in a country jail. Excellent end rhymes.5 Stars full

0 0 Reply
Dwip Sarkar 17 May 2022

Nice

0 0 Reply
Bri Edwards 17 May 2022

Oops! I'll give this poet allowance for some English structure I would change a bit, since she grew up in England and many years ago so must have been proper for her times. ;) bri

0 0 Reply

Well penned every mischief has a penalty awaiting for it

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Chinedu Dike 17 May 2022

Nicely crafted in verse with beautiful rhyme scheme....

0 0 Reply
Bri Edwards 17 May 2022

Overall, I give this poem five stars for its rhyming, humour/humor, and flow. bri : )

0 0 Reply
Bri Edwards 17 May 2022

Of course, though called my son, he'd probably have been the son of our neighbor Bill, of whom I think my wife had had her fill.

0 0 Reply
Bri Edwards 17 May 2022

If he'd been my son, that Idle Jim, I'd tan his bottom, or, better still, I might throttle him.

0 0 Reply
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Jane Taylor

Jane Taylor

Colchester, England
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