love-songs of childhood-第7章
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In through the lattice the moonlight crept；
Bringing a tide of dreams that swept
Over the low； red trundle…bed；
Bathing the tangled curly head；
While moonbeams played at hide…and…seek
With the dimples on the sun…browned cheek …
When I was a boy； a little boy！
And； oh！ the dreams … the dreams I dreamed！
When I was a boy； a little boy！
For the grace that through the lattice streamed
Over my folded eyelids seemed
To have the gift of prophecy；
And to bring me glimpses of times to be
When manhood's clarion seemed to call …
Ah！ that was the sweetest dream of all；
When I was a boy； a little boy！
I'd like to sleep where I used to sleep
When I was a boy； a little boy！
For in at the lattice the moon would peep；
Bringing her tide of dreams to sweep
The crosses and griefs of the years away
From the heart that is weary and faint to…day；
And those dreams should give me back again
A peace I have never known since then …
When I was a boy； a little boy！
AT PLAY
Play that you are mother dear；
And play that papa is your beau；
Play that we sit in the corner here；
Just as we used to； long ago。
Playing so； we lovers two
Are just as happy as we can be；
And I'll say 〃I love you〃 to you；
And you say 〃I love you〃 to me！
〃I love you〃 we both shall say；
All in earnest and all in play。
Or； play that you are that other one
That some time came； and went away；
And play that the light of years agone
Stole into my heart again to…day！
Playing that you are the one I knew
In the days that never again may be；
I'll say 〃I love you〃 to you；
And you say 〃I love you〃 to me！
I love you！〃 my heart shall say
To the ghost of the past come back to…day！
Or； play that you sought this nestling…place
For your own sweet self； with that dual guise
Of your pretty mother in your face
And the look of that other in your eyes！
So the dear old loves shall live anew
As I hold my darling on my knee；
And I'll say 〃I love you〃 to you；
And you say 〃I love you〃 to me！
Oh； many a strange； true thing we say
And do when we pretend to play！
A VALENTINE
Go； Cupid； and my sweetheart tell
I love her well。
Yes； though she tramples on my heart
And rends that bleeding thing apart；
And though she rolls a scornful eye
On doting me when I go by；
And though she scouts at everything
As tribute unto her I bring …
Apple； banana； caramel …
Haste； Cupid； to my love and tell；
In spite of all； I love her well！
And further say I have a sled
Cushioned in blue and painted red！
The groceryman has promised I
Can 〃hitch〃 whenever he goes by …
Go； tell her that； and； furthermore；
Apprise my sweetheart that a score
Of other little girls implore
The boon of riding on that sled
Painted and hitched； as aforesaid； …
And tell her； Cupid； only she
Shall ride upon that sled with me！
Tell her this all； and further tell
I love her well。
LITTLE ALL…ALONEY
Little All…Aloney's feet
Pitter…patter in the hall；
And his mother runs to meet
And to kiss her toddling sweet；
Ere perchance he fall。
He is； oh； so weak and small！
Yet what danger shall he fear
When his mother hovereth near；
And he hears her cheering call：
〃All…Aloney〃？
Little All…Aloney's face
It is all aglow with glee；
As around that romping…place
At a terrifying pace
Lungeth； plungeth he！
And that hero seems to be
All unconscious of our cheers …
Only one dear voice he hears
Calling reassuringly：
〃All…Aloney！〃
Though his legs bend with their load；
Though his feet they seem so small
That you cannot help forebode
Some disastrous episode
In that noisy hall；
Neither threatening bump nor fall
Little All…Aloney fears；
But with sweet bravado steers
Whither comes that cheery call：
〃All…Aloney！〃
Ah； that in the years to come；
When he shares of Sorrow's store； …
When his feet are chill and numb；
When his cross is burdensome；
And his heart is sore：
Would that he could hear once more
The gentle voice he used to hear …
Divine with mother love and cheer …
Calling from yonder spirit shore：
〃All； all alone！〃
SEEIN' THINGS
I ain't afeard uv snakes； or toads； or bugs； or worms； or mice；
An' things 'at girls are skeered uv I think are awful nice！
I'm pretty brave； I guess； an' yet I hate to go to bed；
For； when I'm tucked up warm an' snug an' when my prayers are said；
Mother tells me 〃Happy dreams！〃 and takes away the light；
An' leaves me lyin' all alone an' seein' things at night！
Sometimes they're in the corner； sometimes they're by the door；
Sometimes they're all a…standin' in the middle uv the floor；
Sometimes they are a…sittin' down； sometimes they're walkin' round
So softly an' so creepylike they never make a sound！
Sometimes they are as black as ink； an' other times they're white …
But the color ain't no difference when you see things at night！
Once； when I licked a feller 'at had just moved on our street；
An' father sent me up to bed without a bite to eat；
I woke up in the dark an' saw things standin' in a row；
A…lookin' at me cross…eyed an' p'intin' at me … so！
Oh； my！ I wuz so skeered that time I never slep' a mite …
It's almost alluz when I'm bad I see things at night！
Lucky thing I ain't a girl； or I'd be skeered to death！
Bein' I'm a boy； I duck my head an' hold my breath；
An' I am； oh！ so sorry I'm a naughty boy； an' then
I promise to be better an' I say my prayers again！
Gran'ma tells me that's the only way to make it right
When a feller has been wicked an' sees things at night！
An' so； when other naughty boys would coax me into sin；
I try to skwush the Tempter's voice 'at urges me within；
An' when they's pie for supper； or cakes 'at 's big an' nice；
I want to … but I do not pass my plate f'r them things twice！
No； ruther let Starvation wipe me slowly out o' sight
Than I should keep a…livin' on an' seein' things at night！
THE CUNNIN' LITTLE THING
When baby wakes of mornings；
Then it's wake； ye people all！
For another day
Of song and play
Has come at our darling's call！
And； till she gets her dinner；
She makes the welkin ring；
And she won't keep still till she's had her fill …
The cunnin' little thing！
When baby goes a…walking；
Oh； how her paddies fly！
For that's the way
The babies say
To other folk 〃by…by〃；
The trees bend down to kiss her；
And the birds in rapture sing；
As there she stands and waves her hands …
The cunnin' little thing！
When baby goes a…rocking
In her bed at close of day；
At hide…and…seek
On her dainty cheek
The dreams and the dimples play；
Then it's sleep in the tender kisses
The guardian angels bring
From the Far Above to my sweetest love …
You cunnin' little thing！
THE DOLL'S WOOING
The little French doll was a dear little doll
Tricked out in the sweetest of dresses；
Her eyes were of hue
A most delicate blue
And dark as the night were her tresses；
Her dear little mouth was fluted and red；
And this little French doll was so very well bred
That whenever accosted her little mouth said
〃Mamma！ mamma！〃
The stockinet doll； with one arm and one leg；
Had once been a handsome young fellow；
But now he appeared
Rather frowzy and bleared
In his torn regimentals of yellow；
Yet his heart gave a curious thump as he lay
In the little toy cart near the window one day
And heard the sweet voice of that French dolly say：
〃Mamma！ mamma！〃
He listened so long and he listened so hard
That anon he grew ever so tender；
For it's everywhere known
That the feminine tone
Gets away with all masculine gender！
He up and he wooed her with soldierly zest
But all she'd reply to the love he professed
Were these plaintive words （which perhaps you have guessed）：
〃Mamma！ mamma！〃
Her mother … a sweet little lady of five …
Vouchsaf
