Last Seen Wandering Vaguely: Quite Of Her Own Accord

James James
Morrison Morrison
Weatherby George Dupree
Took great
Care of his Mother,
Though he was only three.
James James
Said to his Mother,
"Mother," he said, said he;
"You must never go down to the end of the town
If you don't go down with me."

James James
Morrison's Mother
Put on a golden gown,
James James
Morrison's Mother
Drove to the end of the town.
James James
Morrison's Mother
Said to herself, said she:
"I can get right down to the end of the town and
be back in time for tea."

King John
Put up a notice
"LOST or STOLEN or STRAYED!
JAMES JAMES
MORRISON"S MOTHER
SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN MISLAID.
LAST SEEN
WANDERING VAGUELY:
QUITE OF HER OWN ACCORD,
SHE TRIED TO GET DOWN TO THE END OF
THE TOWN - FORTY SHILLINGS REWARD!

-Excerpt from A.A. Milne's "Disobedience"

I've spent the past week watching my little son and his friend with this poem rattling about in my head. It's quite accurate, as you may know, little boys do keep close track of their mothers. I found myself wondering, how had it been decided that I was the one who needed to be watched closely, rather than the other way around?

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