I want to know John Drinkwater

     I want to know why when I'm late
     For school, they get into a state,
     But if invited out to tea
     I must'n ever early be.

     Why, if I'm eating nice and slow
     It's "Slow coach, hurry up, you know!"
     But if I'm eating nice and quick
     It's Gobble gobble, you'll be sick!"

     Why, when I'm walking in the street
     My clothes must always be complete,
     While at the seaside I can call
     It right with nothing on at all.

     Why I must always go to bed
     When other people don't instead,
     And why I have to say good night
     Always before I'm ready, quite

I want to Know
     The poet is confused by the double standards of the society. He does not understand why he is scolded when he is late for school. But he is not allowed to go early if he is invited for tea. He finds it strange for being called lazy when he eats slowly. But if he eats quickly he is told that he would be sick. He is also unable to understand why he is allowed to go for a swim without clothes, but he has to dress properly to walk in a street. He gets angry when he is forced to go to bed early when everybody else is enjoying and he is not even feeling sleepy. The poet is really disturbed because he is forced to do things not the way he wants.

Washing, John Drinkwater

     What is all this washing about,
     Every day, Week in, week out?
     From getting up till going to bed,
     I'm tired of hearing the same thing said.

     Whether I'm dirty or whether I'm not.
     Whether the water is cold or hot,
     Whether I like or whether I don't,
     Whether I will or whether I won't

   "Have you washed your hands, and washed your face?"
     I seem to live in the washing-place.

Washing
             The poet is talking about the feeling of a young school boy, who is asked to wash himself regularly. The poem is a monologue (talking to one's self) in which the poet speaks like a young boy. He is upset when he is asked by people in the house,if he has washed his hands or his face, or whether he has washed himself. Whether he likes it or not, Whether the water is hot or cold, nobody seems to bother whether it is summer or winter. All the time he is ordered to this or do that. Nobody cares whether he likes it or not.
             From morning when he gets up till he goes to bed in the night, he is asked repeatedly, "Have you washed your hands and washed your face". He is upset at this washing about every day and every week.