I know a curious little boy
Who is always asking, “why?’’
Why this, why that, why then, why now,
Why not, why by-and-by?

He wants to know why wood should swim,
Why lead and marbles sink;
Why stars should shine and winds should blow,
And why we eat and drink.

He wants to know what makes the clouds,
And why they cross the sky;
Why sinks the sun behind the hills,
And why the flowers die.

He wants to know why wind should come
From out the bellows’ nose;
Why pop-guns should go pop and why
The ocean ebbs and flows.

He wants to know why fish have gills,
And why boys cannot fly;
Why steam comes from the kettle’s spout,
And rain falls from the sky.

He wants to know why coal should burn,
And not a bit of stone;
How seeds get in the apple-core,
And marrow in the bone.

He wants to know why ice is melt;
Why spiders eat flies;
Why bees should sting and  why the yeast
Should make dough to rise.

Some of his whys are not too hard
To answer if you’ll try:
But other no one yet
Has found the reason why.