How we cite our quotes: (Stanza)
Quote #1
Except when you don't.
Because, sometimes, you won't.I'm sorry to say so
but, sadly, it's true
that Bang-ups
and Hang-ups
can happen to you.You can get all hung up
in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on.
You'll be left in a Lurch. (11-13)
As gently as possible, Seuss pokes a big ol' hole in our grand confidence balloon. His tone is direct—he's just telling the truth here, after all—and he uses rhythm and rhyme to guide us down to the ground. Can you feel the rhythmic fall in "Bang-ups and Hang-ups" (DAdum dum DAdum)? Again, Seuss uses capitalization to emphasize the importance and reality of these experiences.
Quote #2
You'll come down from the lurch
with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then,
that you'll be in a slump.And when you're in a slump,
you're not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done. (14-15)
Your little tyke doesn't yet have the breadth of experience to know what to do when they're not soaring (and hey, isn't this difficult for all of us?). The disappointment deals an extra blow because your child's expectations were so high. If there's one word to describe the disappointment in this passage, it's "unpleasant."
Quote #3
Except when they don't.
Because, sometimes, they won't. (24)
Again, Seuss employs a simple, straightforward tone to address disappointment. Read that out loud again and tap out the beats. Overall, the rhythm is uncomplicated, slowed down only by the "sometimes" in the second line. That's Seuss's way of breaking bad news gently.