Politeness by Gelett Burgess (1895)
Politeness is a collection of humorous poems by Gelett Burgess that satirize the social norms and customs of the early 20th century. The book includes popular works such as "The Purple Cow" and "The Goops". It was first published in 1906 and has since become a classic of American humor.
By Gelett Burgess · First published 1895 · Genre: Children's Literature, Poetry, Educational · 86 words
First lines
I think it would be lots of fun To be polite to every one; A boy would doff his little hat, A girl would curtsey, just like that!
And both would use such words as these: "_Excuse me, Sir_," and "_If you please_;"
Not only just at home, you know, But everywhere that they should go.
What this Textopian page supports
Politeness is listed on Textopian as a poem 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: Poem
- Author: Gelett Burgess
- Date: 1895 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Children's Literature, Poetry, Educational, Humor
- Length: 86 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Politeness 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 Politeness?
- How does this poem by Gelett Burgess fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Children's Literature first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Courtesy by Gelett Burgess
- Modesty by Gelett Burgess
- Miss Manners by Gelett Burgess
- Book Manners by Gelett Burgess
- Frankness by Gelett Burgess
- Table Manners I by Gelett Burgess
Genres
- Children's Literature — The content is simple, rhyming, and aimed at teaching children about politeness.
- Poetry — The text is written in verse form with a rhyming scheme.
- Educational — The work aims to instruct children on the importance of politeness and manners.
- Humor — The playful tone and light-hearted approach suggest an element of humor.
Tags
etiquette · social norms · humor · satire · Victorian era · politeness · manners · civility · communication · society · cultural critique · irony