INTRODUCTION.
The poem contains a lot of facts and fallacies. The facts are that babies are innocent; need care and attention while example of fallacies are religion, politics, arms race and others. I note with humor the extent to which the author has tried to mask the fallacies as facts. The poem focuses on babies and describes them as the ones who rule the world.
‘Babies are best. They give no offence
Except to their proper nappies.
Strictly they instruct their young mothers,
Ruling with a rattle of iron.
They are the boss by natural selection.
Mothers’ Union ? Only when babies please.’
The first paragraph tells us that babies are the bosses who rule their parents. They are undefiled and are not repulsive. They command their mothers to heed to their necessity. The give no problems to their parents except messing up their nappies.
‘One of them, at fourteen months, is famous
For trying keys on every aperture,
Spurning knots in the woodwork as spurious.
Will it grow up to be a master burglar
Or unlock the secrets of the universe ?
It does not say. It is one of the secrets. ‘
The second paragraph focuses on the future of the babies. The future of babies are unknown, so it is called a secret. What babies will grow up to become of remains mysterious to all of us.
‘Babies have little religion, other than
Categorical imperatives and feast days,
And no politics, apart from the arms race,
Chronic inflation and minor uprisings.
They move in mysterious ways. God created them
In his image. Which accounts for many things.
As babies, they do not recognize big words like ‘religion’ or ‘politics’. They are only focused on what they need like food, proper care, attention and enough sleep. They move in...