<p>In an effort to distract myself from worrying about a potential hurricane slamming southeastern Virginia, I am starting a new thread. So, here goes. Anyone in the path of Irene, stay safe!</p>
<p>Nursery Rhyme-I Had a Little Pony
Poem-Dulce et Decorum Est</p>
<p>Homework Oh Homework by Shel Silverstein.</p>
<p>thumper1, That’s a great one. Homework was definitely not second son’s cup of tea!</p>
<p>Lear - The Owl and the Pussycat
Yeats - The Second Coming</p>
<p>Aileen Fisher Listen, Rabbit</p>
<p>Robert Frost Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening</p>
<p>Second The Owl and the Pussycat. When I was an obnoxious little girl, I would insist on reciting the entire thing for the guests at my parents’ dinner parties. I still love it.</p>
<p>Runcible Spoon.</p>
<p>We had a terrific board book of The Owl and the Pussycat and read it with our son every night for months and months.</p>
<p>We loved the owl and the pussycat – but my d was reciting it to a younger cousin when she was about ten and suddenly looked up and asked why a letter would be so heavy? Took me a moment to figure out that “wrapped up in a five pound note” might not have the same meaning to an American kid as it would to a British kid.</p>
<p>^^^^^I love it!</p>
<p>Now We Are Six, A.A. Milne</p>
<p>When I was one,
I had just begun.
When I was two,
I was nearly new.
When I was three,
I was hardly me.
When I was four,
I was not much more.
When I was five,
I was just alive.
But now I am six,
I’m as clever as clever.
So I think I’ll be six
now and forever.</p>
<p>Another by A.A. Milne, much beloved by my MIL and recited to her children (explaind so much!)</p>
<p>A. A. Milne - Disobedience
James James<br>
Morrison Morrison<br>
Weatherby George Dupree<br>
Took great<br>
Care of his Mother<br>
Though he was only three.<br>
James James<br>
Said to his Mother,<br>
“Mother,” he said, said he;<br>
“You must never go down to the end of the town, if
you don’t go down with me.” </p>
<p>James James<br>
Morrison’s Mother<br>
Put on a golden gown,<br>
James James<br>
Morrison’s Mother<br>
Drove to the end of the town.<br>
James James<br>
Morrison’s Mother<br>
Said to herself, said she:<br>
“I can get right down to the end of the town and be
back in time for tea.” </p>
<p>King John<br>
Put up a notice,<br>
"LOST or STOLEN or STRAYED!<br>
JAMES JAMES<br>
MORRISON’S MOTHER<br>
SEEMS TO HABE BEEN MISLAID.<br>
LAST SEEN<br>
WANDERING VAGUELY<br>
QUITE OF HER OWN ACCORD,<br>
SHE TRIED TO GET DOWN TO THE END OF
THE TOWN - FORTY SHILLINGS REWARD! </p>
<p>James James<br>
Morrison Morrison<br>
(Commonly known as Jim)<br>
Told his<br>
Other relations<br>
Not to go blaming him.<br>
James James<br>
Said to his Mother,<br>
“Mother,” he said, said he,<br>
“You must never go down to the end of the town with-
out consulting me.” </p>
<p>James James<br>
Morrison’s Mother<br>
Hasn’t been heard of since.<br>
King John<br>
Said he was sorry,<br>
So did the Queen and Prince.<br>
King John<br>
(Somebody told me)<br>
Said to a man he knew:<br>
“If people go down to the end of the town, well, what
can anyone do?” </p>
<p>(Now then, very softly)<br>
J. J.<br>
M. M.<br>
W. G. du P.<br>
Took great<br>
C/o his M*****<br>
Though he was only 3.<br>
J. J.<br>
Said to his M*****<br>
“M*****,” he said, said he:<br>
“You-must-never-go-down-to-the-end-of-the-town-if-
you-don’t-go-down-with ME!”</p>
<p>I Had a Little Pony,
His Name was Dapple Grey.
I lent him to a Lady
To ride a mile away.</p>
<p>She whipped him,she slashed him,
She rode him through the mire;
I would not lend my pony now
For all the lady’s hire.</p>
<p>WHERE ARE YOU GOING MY PRETTY MAID</p>
<p>“Where are you going, my pretty maid?”
“I’m going a-milking, sir,” she said.
“May I go with you, my pretty maid?”
“You’re kindly welcome, sir,” she said.
“What is your father, my pretty maid?”
“My father’s a farmer, sir,” she said.
“What is your fortune, my pretty maid?”
“My face is my fortune, sir,” she said.
“Then I can’t marry you, my pretty maid.”
“Nobody asked you, sir,” she said.</p>
<p>Poem: Yeats, Prayer for My Daughter</p>
<p>A. A. Milne - Halfway Down the Stair</p>
<p>This was my favorite as a young child. Although we did not have stairs inside my home, we did have 3 stairs down to the sidewalk. I loved to sit there on those stairs! It was as far away from my house I was allowed to go by myself, which might have had something to do with my attraction!</p>
<p>Eugene Field - Wynken , Blynken and Nod</p>
<p>This was my favorite when my kids were young, both of them loved it.</p>
<p>There once was a girl from Nantucket…</p>
<p>My mother used to sing this to us as kids:</p>
<p>Oh where have you been Lord Randall, my son?
Where have you been my handsome young one?
I’ve been to my sweetheart mother
I’ve been to my sweetheart mother
Oh make my bed soon for I’m sick to the heart
And fain would lie down</p>
<p>Oh what did you eat, oh Randall, my son?
What were you fed, my handsome young one?
Eels and eel broth, mother
Speckled eel broth, mother
Oh make my bed soon for I’m sick to the heart
And fain would lie down</p>
<p>Oh, you have been poisoned, oh Randall, my son
You have been poisoned, my handsome young one
'Tis truth you’ve spoken, mother
'Tis truth you’ve spoken, mother
Please make my bed soon for I’m sick to the heart
And fain would lie down</p>
<p>Oh, what will you leave your mother, my son?
What will you leave her, my handsome young one?
My love to keep you, mother
My love to keep you, mother
Oh make my bed soon for I’m sick to the heart
And fain would lie down</p>
<p>Oh, what will you leave your sweetheart, my son?
What will you leave her, my handsome young one?
A rope from Hell to hang her
A rope from Hell to hang her
Oh make my bed soon for I’m sick to the heart
And fain would lie down</p>
<p>I love “Sing a song of Sixpence” especially since it was used as a recruiting tool by Blackbeard. His crew were paid a “pocketful of rye” (like a wineskin full of rye whiskey) and also a salary rather than the usual share of pirate’s booty whenever it came along.</p>
<p>Also love The Owl and the Pussycat! We figured out a way to sing parts of it. “his nose, his nose, with a ring at the end of his nose”.</p>
<p>“Let Evening Come” by Jane Kenyon
“The little Black Heart of the Telephone”, by Robert Penn Warren
“The Colonel” by Carolyn Forche…</p>
<p>Those are just off the top of my head. Gosh, there are so many!</p>
<p>Requiem by Robert Louis Stevenson, which is inscribed on his tombstone. I was about 12 when I read it for the first time and still like it.</p>
<p>Dr. Seuss FTW</p>