A strange thing has happened, it seems through the years
Its good sense has dropped
out of sight,
For while growing up on 'God Save the Queen'
I was taught to 'Keep to
the Right'.
On sidewalks and roadways, in halls or on stairs,
It was the politest decorum
To guide yourself through on the right-handed side;
It showed common sense and
good form.
No one doubted this absolute fact of life
For who would dare to object?
Conformity was the healthiest choice
Doing otherwise, could get
yourself wrecked!
Schoolteachers trained us well to follow
This long-proven standard
of order,
Keep to the right, wherever you go
And especially when walking
the corridors.
So how is it then, that others we meet
Do not understand such a
rule?
Could it be where they're from, no one was taught
Common sense, when they were
in school?
The right, left or middle makes no difference at all
For anyone in the way will
move,
And if heading for the kitchen while keeping to the left
Watch out for that tray full
of food!
Now, I take some pride in doing what's right
I yield when signs say I
must,
So why is it then, that most folks I see
Push and shove when they're
in a big rush?
When racing full bore t'ward a plate-glass door
You would think 'keeping
right' would prevail,
It's no longer the case -- for the builder's not sure
of his right from his left,
from his tail!
Why, even church doors pose a problem for some
of its members who grew up
like me,
Yanking hard on the knob of the door on the right
Causes pain 'til you sink
to your knees.
So if it's all changed and the rule is outdated
Then a law should be written
up right
I'll need time to unlearn this longstanding habit
Of carefully keeping to the
right.
Then bruises I've gained through the ill-mannered way
that others have pushed me
aside
Will finally wane, and the only thing hurt
will be my constitutional
pride.
Still, I think it a shame that this fine rule is lost
When our chaotic world needs
a hand
'Everyone for themselves' is a selfish idea
That is spreading across
our great land.
Perhaps if we try we might win, by and by
And a point for correctness
we'll score
If we start with the simplest of concepts today
And just "keep to the
right" a bit more.
