Strong Romance

Lyrics

He'll idealize mother and father From three to six years you will see him gather Interest in romance and rings Spiritual beginnings

From six years old 'til he's eleven He will lose all interest in love and heaven He'll repress these foolish things For law, legend, and kings

For adolescents, sex and romance Are in conflict beyond endurance He'll find his childhood clings Contradiction strings

Conflicting emotions are a cause of trouble And they will pop the parental bubble Strong romantic feeling is a flood in spring In boys, the prime is toward the mother In girls it's not that way, the other He'll know it's the wrong love he brings And this knowledge stings

So his initial job at the sage Is to steer his feelings to another stage It's not at all easy-coming There's no bell to ring Positive feelings will be well-concealed Only negations will be revealed Antagonistic and surprising An arrow and a sling Adolescence is a strain at first Homeless emotion in a sudden burst Awkward, gauche faltering And no voice to sing And nothing to do

Chronology

• Baby and Child Care