The poem "Father William" is a conversation between a wise
father and his conceited son
"In my youth," said his father, "I took to the
law,
And argued each case with my wife;
And the muscular strength which it gave to
my jaw
Has lasted the rest of my life."
an explanation of how hard it
is getting older
a message from a wise old man
about aging
"You are old," said the youth, "one would
hardly suppose
That your eye was as steady as ever;
Yet you balanced an eel on the end of your
nose
What made you so awfully clever?"
a warning from a concerned
father to a foolish son