Patches for Pete
My grandma Alice would quote this poem to us grandchildren back in the 1960's. Her lyrical voice and animated expressions were very entertaining and we often requested recital. Decades later when I created this bib pattern, I named it in honor of my grandma's performance but also in honor of the family recycling spoken of in the poem. Hand-me-downs arriving from my cousins were an exciting event in my early years. This poem called "Family Financiering" was originally written by Sam Walter Foss (1858-1911)
Family Financiering
They tell me you work for a dollar a day;
How is it you clothe your six boys on such pay?
I know you will think it conceited and weird,
But I do it because I’m a good financier.
There’s Pete, John, Jim, Joe, and William and Ned,
A half dozen boys to be all clothed and fed.
And I buy for them all good, plain victuals to eat,
And clothing- I only buy clothing for Pete.
When Pete’s clothes are too small for him to go on,
My wife makes ‘em over and gives ‘em to John.
When for John, who is ten, they have grown out of date,
She just makes ‘em over for Jim, who is eight.
When for Jim they become too ragged to fix,
She just makes ‘em over for Joe, who is six.
And when little Joseph can wear ‘em no more,
She just makes ‘em over for Bill who is four.
And when for young Bill they no longer will do,
She just makes ‘em over for Ned, who is two.
So you see, if I get enough clothing for Pete,
The family is furnished with clothing complete.
“But when Ned gets through with the clothing, and when
He has thrown it aside, what do you do with it then?”
Why, once more we go around the circle complete,
And begin to use it for Patches for Pete.
Sam Walter Foss (1858-1911)