Who Wants To Be Burned? Poem by Hm. Nes

My father warned me.
Mother warned me.
My neighbor, Gilbert Jeffrey Swain, often warned me.
(Gilbert is fourteen and knows these things.)
'The brazier is hot, too hot to touch!
'Don't touch the brazier if'n you don't want to be burned! '
And who wants to be burned?

My father was burned.
Mother was burned.
Gilbert Jeffrey Swain was burned six times.
(Gilbert has experience with these things.)
The brazier was hot, too hot to touch,
But I touched it anyway.
I touched it twice, and then a third time.

My father was right.
Mother was right.
Gilbert Jeffrey Swain was definitely right.
(Gilbert shared more details than did my father or mother.)
The brazier is hot, really, really hot. I'm telling you myself.
You shouldn't touch it if'n you don't want to be burned!
And who wants to be burned?