Flowers Are Red
The little boy went to school; he got some crayons and began to draw.
He put colors all over the paper, for colors where what he saw.
And the teacher said, "What are you doing young man?"
"I'm coloring flowers", he said.
She said, "It's not the time for art young man, anyway flowers are red and leaves are green. There's a time for everything and a way it should be done. You've got to show concern for everyone else, for you're not the only one."
And she said, "Flowers are red young man, green leaves are green. There's no need to see flowers any other way than the way they've always been seen."
But the little boy said, "There are so many colors in the rainbow, so many colors in the morning sun, so many colors in a flower, and I see everyone."
The teacher said, "Your sassy. There's ways that things should be. You'll color flowers the way they are, so repeat after me, flowers are red and green leaves are green. There's no need to see flowers any other way than the way they've always been seen."
But the little boy said, "There are so many colors in the rainbow, so many colors in the morning sun, so many colors in a flower, and I see everyone."
The teacher put him in the corner. She said, "It's for your own good. You won't come out until you get it right and are responding like you should."
Finally he got lonely. Frightened thoughts filled his head. He went up to that teacher, and this is what he said.
And he said, "Flowers are red, green leaves are green. There's no need to see flowers any other way than the way they've always been seen."
by Harry Chapin