The Gashlycrumb Terrors

A is for anthrax, deadly and white.

B is for burglars who break in at night.
C is for cars that have minds of their own
and accelerate rapidly in a school zone.

D is for dynamite lit with a fuse.

E is for everything we have to lose.
F is for foreigners, different and strange.
G is for gangs and the crimes they arrange.
H is for hand lotion, more than three ounces;
let's pray some brave agent soon sees it and pounces.

I is for implants (I'll explain when you're older).

J is for jokers who only grow bolder.
K is for kids who aren't afraid
to play in the park or drink lemonade.

L is for lead in our toys and our food.

M is for Mom's cavalier attitude.

N is for neighbors -- you never can tell:

is that a book club or terrorist cell?

O is for ostrich, with head in the sand.

P is for plots to blow up Disneyland.
Q is for those who would question authorities.
R is for radical sects and minorities.
S is for satanists, who have been seen
to give children razor blades on Halloween.

T is for terrorists, by definition.

U is for uncensored acts of sedition.
V is for vigilance, our leaders' tool
for keeping us safe, both at home and at school.

W is for warnings with colors and levels.

X is for xraying bags at all revels.
Y is for you! So don't be a dope.
Z is for zero tolerance, our finest hope.