Poetry Friday: More Roald Dahl

Since I've just finished re-reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I'm compelled to bring you an excerpt for this week's poetry Friday entry. In Chapter 27 (Mike Teavee is Sent by Television), the Oompa-Loompas sound a cautionary note regarding kids watching too much television. They suggest instead, this:

"So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,
Go throw your TV set away,
And in its place you can install
A lovely bookshelf on the wall.
Then fill the shelves with lots of books,
Ignoring all the dirty looks,
The screams and yells, the bites and kicks,
And children hitting you with sticks—
Fear not, because we promise you
That, in about a week or two
Of having nothing else to do,
They'll now begin to feel the need
Of having something good to read.
And once they start — oh boy, oh boy!
You watch the slowly growing joy
That fills their hearts. They'll grow so keen
They'll wonder what they'd ever seen
In that ridiculous machine,
That nauseating, foul, unclean,
Repulsive television screen!
And later, each and every kid
Will love you more for what you did."

For other Poetry Friday entries, I refer you to Kelly or Liz. I'm still (always and forever, it seems) traveling. Have a great weekend!