"Safety First"

"Safety First”

By

K. R. King

"Safety First,"

they used to say.

It was the fashion of the early day,

to kiss a child's hand and say,

"Safety first, that stove is hot, and look both ways because if not-

Well, child, you don't even want to know what comes next."

"Safety first, say no to strangers" because you never know-

-if they offer you candy, tell them so:

"Safety first!"

Always first,

But I know that sometimes

Children must burn those little hands and see what happens next.

And saying no to a stranger may be saying no to kindness.

Safety does not come first.

"Goodness, truth and beauty come first."

Thank you, Jean Brodie.