What lesson does Franklin P Adams attempt to teach in the poem those two boys?

Franklin P. Adams doesn't attempt to teach any lesson in his poem "Those Two Boys." Instead, he playfully describes the contrasting behaviors of two young boys in the poem. The poet uses humor to highlight the differences in their personalities, actions, and the ensuing consequences they face based on their respective choices.

Here is the poem in its entirety:

Those Two Boys

There was a boy who always told

The pure, unvarnished truth.

He made his elders wince and scold

And grieve they had conceived a scold;

His parents knew his candid speech

And always said, "How frank he is."

But his companion was a peach

Who made life sweeter with a kiss.

The honest boy was shunned by all,

And people called him "that young brat."

The other fellow was the call

Of every lady in the flat;

The first was always in disgrace

And lived a most unpleasant life.

The other had a smiling face

And was quite popular with his wife.

The moral is, if truth you'd seize

And not be scorned by your fellow men,

Don't be too honest if you please

Or you will wish you'd been again.

As you can see, the poem presents two contrasting characters without explicitly advocating for one over the other. It leaves it up to the reader to contemplate and perhaps reflect on the nature of honesty, the consequences of being overly candid, and the societal rewards of being well-liked.