James Honeyman was a silent child
He didn't laugh or cry;
He looked at his mother
With curiosity.

Mother came up to the nursery,
Peeped through the open door,
Saw him striking matches
Sitting on the nursery floor.

He went to the children's party,
The buns were full of cream;
Sat there dissolving sugar
In his teacup in a dream.

#On his eighth birthday
Didn't care that the day was wet
For by his bedside
Lay a ten-shilling chemistry set.

Teacher said: "James Honeyman's
The cleverest boy we've had,
But he doesn't play with the others,
And that, I think, is sad."

While the other boys played football
He worked in the laboratory
Got a scholarship to college,
And a first-class degree.