Dirty Face
Dirty Face - meaning Summary
Childhood Mischief and Joy
A parent asks where a child’s dirty face came from and the child answers with a rapid list of playful, messy activities. The poem treats dirt as proof of adventurous, sensory exploration—crawling, pretending, digging, eating berries, hugging a dog—culminating in the claim of having "more fun" than adults. It reframes mess as evidence of childhood freedom and imagination rather than misbehavior.
Read Complete AnalysesWhere did you get such a dirty face, My darling dirty-faced child? I got it from crawling along in the dirt And biting two buttons off Jeremy's shirt. I got it from chewing the roots of a rose And digging for clams in the yard with my nose. I got it from peeking into a dark cave And painting myself like a Navajo brave. I got it from playing with coal in the bin And signing my name in cement with my chin. I got if from rolling around on the rug And giving the horrible dog a big hug. I got it from finding a lost silver mine And eating sweet blackberries right off the vine. I got it from ice cream and wrestling and tears And from having more fun than you've had in years.
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