Mr. Haste Makes Waste

...a fable for young children

"Haste makes waste! Haste makes waste!"
Mr. Haste mumbled with disdain.
"I'm tired of hearing my good name used in vain."
Then, set out his reputation to gain.

He hastily wrote the Department of Letters.
And hastily wrote his complaints.
He hastily sealed the envelope and
hastily stamped too.
He hastily mailed the envelope.
Then hastily returned to his room.

Weeks went by with no reply
to Mr. Haste's complaints.
Again, he wrote the Department of Letters
Urging his name not be used in vain.

He hastily sealed,
Hastily stamped,
Hastily mailed too,
Then hastily returned to his room.

Every morning for many mornings,
The time was dawn precisely.
Mr. Haste repeated this hasty routine,
Expecting an answer directly.

"Hooray!" He shouted with glee.
Upon a mailing, he found a letter
perched on his gate railing.

He tore it open and quickly read,
"Dear Mr. Haste:
Thank you, and enclosed are your empty envelopes.
Perhaps the Department of Envelopes would suit you most."

Mr. Haste couldn't believe what he just read.
The words "empty envelopes" lingered in his head.
He hastily searched for the letters he wrote
Which he forgot to place in each envelope.

He searched and searched but searched in vain.
And to his dismay, he heard himself say,
"Haste makes waste! Haste makes waste!"

**Written by Petra Michelle**

http://www.ifreelance.com./pro/43547