Classic Poem

Your sisters all must stay at home,
your brothers are sent away.
Just we three together, my little children,
shall chat as we go along.
Each day we have our meals before us,
at night we sleep all together.
We have lamps and tapers to peer in the dark,
and warm clothes for the cold.
In past years you saw how the Counselor's son
fell out of favor in the capital;
now people say he's a ragged gambler,
and call him names on the street.
You've seen the barefoot wandering musician
the townspeople call the Justice's Miss —
her father, too, was a great official;
they were all in their day exceedingly rich.
Once their gold was like sand in the sea;
now they have barely enough to eat.
When you look, my children, at other people,
you can see how kind Heaven has been!