Childhood is not from birth to a certain age and at a certain age562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1QtJpin5Li
The child is grown, and puts away childish things.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBC12x9e25c
Childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies.
Nobody that matters, that is. Distant relatives of course562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QLIVSN8gn
Die, whom one never has seen or has seen for an hour,562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZtDXhXwiq
And they gave one candy in a pink-and-green stripéd bag, or a jack-knife,562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTaP8hcInCY
And went away, and cannot really be said to have lived at all.
And cats die. They lie on the floor and lash their tails,562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡesMQqgAdMR
And their reticent fur is suddenly all in motion562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoO7kBr7qhx
With fleas that one never knew were there,562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ssZZxMueo
Polished and brown, knowing all there is to know,562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD8sHbpl88d
Trekking off into the living world.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡraiZhx31d7
You fetch a shoe-box, but it's much too small, because she won't curl up now:562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6MioryMaYT
So you find a bigger box, and bury her in the yard, and weep.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDRgkY5kTNu
But you do not wake up a month from then, two months562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMoUQulYOzH
A year from then, two years, in the middle of the night562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbGC2Muniq
And weep, with your knuckles in your mouth, and say Oh, God! Oh, God!562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5hja8G64XT
Childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies that matters,562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OPo2jJS2h
—mothers and fathers don't die.
And if you have said, "For heaven's sake, must you always be kissing a person?"562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDBhgDO1Ia
Or, "I do wish to gracious you'd stop tapping on the window with your thimble!"562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvk1Q9Hi95
Tomorrow, or even the day after tomorrow if you're busy having fun,562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgawSdrMS4t
Is plenty of time to say, "I'm sorry, mother."
To be grown up is to sit at the table with people who have died,562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyKK6RPWDr
who neither listen nor speak;562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJXfHqUhMW
Who do not drink their tea, though they always said562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHv3X1YWiJv
Tea was such a comfort.
Run down into the cellar and bring up the last jar of raspberries;562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5XNh8QhqKR
they are not tempted.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfskBXtk9Q5
Flatter them, ask them what was it they said exactly562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ36DKEnhMMm
That time, to the bishop, or to the overseer, or to Mrs. Mason;562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSdP5tVbBhU
They are not taken in.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ptwQXrxCI
Shout at them, get red in the face, rise,562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ScNrfIdw1
Drag them up out of their chairs by their stiff shoulders and shake562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm5FTbMHJ5c
them and yell at them;562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsw3rc5DuP1
They are not startled, they are not even embarrassed; they slide562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwmtViHr4Q
back into their chairs.
Your tea is cold now.562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvIEdvraL9K
You drink it standing up,562Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPBPOHxv1lf
And leave the house.
