VISITING TEACHING POEM

WHEN YOU KNOW A SISTER
By Edgar A. Guest

When you get to know a sister, know her joys and know her cares,
When you've come to understand her and the burdens that she bears,
When you've learned the fight she's making and the troubles in her way,
Then you find that she is different than you thought of her yesterday.
You find her faults are trivial and there's not so much to blame
In the sister that you jeered at when you only knew her name.
You are quick to see the blemish in the distant neighbor's style,
You can point to all her errors and may sneer at her the while,
And your prejudices fatten and your hates more violent grow,
As you talk about the failures of the one you do not know,
But when drawn a little closer, and your hands and shoulders touch,
You find the traits you hated really don't amount to much.
When you get to know a sister, know her every mood and whim,
You begin to find the texture of the splendid side of them;
You begin to understand her, and you cease to scoff and sneer,
For with understanding always prejudices disappear.
You begin to find her virtues and her faults you cease to tell,
For you seldom hate a sister when you know her very well.
When next you start in sneering and your phrases turn to blame,
Know more of her you censure than her business and her name;
For it's likely that acquaintance would your prejudice dispel
And you'd really come to like her if you knew her very well