Memory by Gelett Burgess (1895)
The poem Memory is a humorous take on the concept of memory and how it can be unreliable at times. It describes various scenarios where people forget important details or mix up events, leading to comical misunderstandings. The poem ends with the line "And so we go through life, forgetting things that never happened."
By Gelett Burgess · First published 1895 · Genre: Children's Literature, Poetry, Educational · 117 words
First lines
My teacher taught me, yesterday, A very pretty piece to say;
But when I try to think of it, I can't remember it a bit!
My head's so full of toys and such, I can't remember very much!
My teacher told me yesterday "_Work when you work; Play when you play! _"
What this Textopian page supports
Memory is listed on Textopian as a short story by Gelett Burgess, dated 1895 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Gelett Burgess
- Date: 1895 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Children's Literature, Poetry, Educational
- Length: 117 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Memory by Gelett Burgess
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Memory?
- How does this short story by Gelett Burgess fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Children's Literature first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Faces Of Memory by George William Russell
- Memory by W. B. Yeats
- Memory by Charles Lamb
- A Memory by George William Russell
- Remember by Gelett Burgess
- Death And Memory by Frederic Manning
Genres
- Children's Literature — The simple language, playful tone, and focus on a child's perspective and experiences are characteristic of children's literature.
- Poetry — The text is structured in verse form with rhyming lines, typical of poetry.
- Educational — The inclusion of a moral lesson about balancing work and play suggests an educational purpose.
Tags
memory · nostalgia · identity · perception · time · loss · reflection · imagination · experience · emotion · literary · philosophical