A Child's Garden Of Verses Part 3

XXI

ESCAPE AT BEDTIME

THE lights from the parlour and kitchen shone out Through the blinds and the windows and bars; And high overhead and all moving about, There were thousands of millions of stars.

There ne'er were such thousands of leaves on a tree, Nor of people in church or the Park, As the crowds of the stars that looked down upon me, And that glittered and winked in the dark.

The Dog, and the Plough, and the Hunter, and all And the Star of the Sailor, and Mars, These shone in the sky, and the pail by the wall Would be half full of water and stars.

They saw me at last, and they chased me with cries, And they soon had me packed into bed; But the glory kept shining and bright in my eyes, And the stars going round in my head.

XXII

MARCHING SONG

BRING the comb and play upon it!

Marching, here we come!

Willie c.o.c.ks his highland bonnet, Johnnie beats the drum.

Mary Jane commands the party, Peter leads the rear; Feet in time, alert and hearty, Each a Grenadier!

All in the most martial manner Marching double-quick; While the napkin like a banner Waves upon the stick!

Here's enough of fame and pillage, Great commander Jane!

Now that we've been round the village, Let's go home again.

XXIII

THE COW

THE friendly cow all red and white, I love with all my heart: She gives me cream with all her might, To eat with apple-tart.

She wanders lowing here and there, And yet she cannot stray, All in the pleasant open air, The pleasant light of day;

And blown by all the winds that pa.s.s And wet with all the showers, She walks among the meadow gra.s.s And eats the meadow flowers.

XXIV

HAPPY THOUGHT

THE world is so full of a number of things, I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings.

XXV

THE WIND

I SAW you toss the kites on high And blow the birds about the sky; And all around I heard you pa.s.s, Like ladies' skirts across the gra.s.s-- O wind, a-blowing all day long, O wind, that sings so loud a song!

I saw the different things you did, But always you yourself you hid.

I felt you push, I heard you call, I could not see yourself at all-- O wind, a-blowing all day long, O wind, that sings so loud a song!

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE WIND

I felt you push, I heard you call, I could not see yourself at all--]

O you that are so strong and cold, O blower, are you young or old?

Are you a beast of field and tree, Or just a stronger child than me?

O wind, a-blowing all day long, O wind, that sings so loud a song!

XXVI

KEEPSAKE MILL

OVER the borders, a sin without pardon, Breaking the branches and crawling below, Out through the breach in the wall of the garden, Down by the banks of the river, we go.

Here is the mill with the humming of thunder, Here is the weir with the wonder of foam, Here is the sluice with the race running under-- Marvellous places, though handy to home!

Sounds of the village grow stiller and stiller, Stiller the note of the birds on the hill; Dusty and dim are the eyes of the miller, Deaf are his ears with the moil of the mill.

Years may go by, and the wheel in the river Wheel as it wheels for us, children, to-day, Wheel and keep roaring and foaming for ever Long after all of the boys are away.

Home from the Indies and home from the ocean, Heroes and soldiers we all shall come home; Still we shall find the old mill wheel in motion, Turning and churning that river to foam.

You with the bean that I gave when we quarrelled, I with your marble of Sat.u.r.day last, Honoured and old and all gaily apparelled, Here we shall meet and remember the past.

XXVII