A careful man I want to be—
A little fellow follows me.
I do not dare to go astray,
For fear he’ll go the self-same way.
I cannot once escape his eyes,
Whate’er he sees me do, he tries,
Like me he says he’s going to be,
The little chap who follows me.
He thinks that I’m so very fine,
Believes in every word of mine.
The base in me he must not see,
The little chap who follows me.
I must remember as I go,
Through summer’s sun and winters snow,
I’m building for the years to be—
The little chap who follows me.
~ Anonymous
Painting by Emily Elizabeth