Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE JAZZ BABY, by BERTON BRALEY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE JAZZ BABY, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: There was a time when babies were gently
Last Line: "baby an' the cradle an' all!"
Subject(s): Babies; Infants


There was a time when babies were gently sung to sleep.
With soft and tender lullabies they sank to slumber deep,
They drifted off to sleepy land in drowsy happy bliss
While mother crooned a little song, a lullaby like this:

"Rock-a-bye baby, on the tree top,
When the wind blows the cradle will rock,
When the bough breaks the cradle will fall,
And down will come baby, cradle and all."

But now it is the age of Jazz and even babes in arms
Are devotees of music that has syncopated charms,
And when the infant's bedtime comes the modern mother gayly
Accompanies her lullabies upon the ukelele,
For syncopated rhythm is a universal passion
And so the baby's lullaby runs something in this fashion:

"Rock—rock—rock-a-bye Baby,
Mother will buy you a saxophone, maybe;
Hear the wind a-blowin',
Sets your shoulders goin'.
Baby's up a tree, up a tree, up a tree,
Swingin' to the breezes in a minor key.
Oh, my,
Don't cry,
Hear the jazzy music of my lullaby.
When the bough is breakin'
Cradle starts to shakin'
Shakin' like the dancers at a barbers' ball.
Toot on the saxophone, bang on the drums
Jazz 'em up, jazz 'em up—here the Baby comes
Down on the ground you can see him fall,
Baby an' the cradle,
Baby an' the cradle,
Baby an' the cradle an' all!"





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