Inscription for my Little Son's Silver Plate
The inscription instructs a little son to eat temperately, show sweet reverence to his elders, and treat serving-folk kindly despite any sense of dignity. He is urged to remember the poor and never send them away hungry, and to give God heartfelt gratitude for health, food, and every good thing in life.
By Eugene Field · First published 1889 · Genre: Didactic Poetry, Children's Poetry, Moral Verse · 110 words
First lines
When thou dost eat from off this plate, / I charge thee be thou temperate; / Unto thine elders at the board / Do thou sweet reverence accord; / And, though to dignity inclined, / Unto the serving-folk be kind; / Be ever mindful of the poor, / Nor turn them hungry from the door; / And unto God, for health and food / And all that in thy life is good, / Give thou thy heart in gratitude.
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Genres
- Didactic Poetry — The poem directly instructs a child in proper conduct, including temperance, respect, kindness, charity, and gratitude.
- Children's Poetry — Addressed to the poet's young son, it presents moral guidance in accessible, memorable verse intended for a child.
- Moral Verse — Its central purpose is to communicate ethical principles governing behavior toward elders, servants, the poor, and God.
- Devotional Poetry — The closing lines urge gratitude to God for food, health, and life's blessings, giving the poem a religious dimension.
Tags
didactic poetry · children's poetry · moral instruction · parental advice · table manners · temperance · respect for elders · kindness to servants · charity · care for the poor · hunger · hospitality
What this Textopian page supports
Inscription for my Little Son's Silver Plate is listed on Textopian as a poem by Eugene Field, dated 1889 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Eugene Field
- Date: 1889 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Didactic Poetry, Children's Poetry, Moral Verse, Devotional Poetry, Occasional Poetry
- Length: 110 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Inscription for my Little Son's Silver Plate by Eugene Field
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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