Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

AMERICAN CRADLE SONG by ROBERT JONES BURDETTE

First Line: ROCK-A-BYE, BABY, IN THE TREE-TOP'
Last Line: "ROCK-A-BYE, BABY, ""THY CRADLE IS GREEN."
"Rock-a-bye, baby, in 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."

Rock-a-bye, baby, the meadows in bloom,
Laugh at the sunbeams that dance in the room;
Echo the birds with your own baby tune,
Coo in the sunshine and flowers of June.

Rock-a-bye, baby, as softly it swings,
Over the cradle the mother-love sings,
Brooding and cooing at even or dawn,
What will it do when the mother is gone?

Rock-a-bye, baby, so cloudless the skies,
Blue as the depths of your own laughing eyes,
Sweet is the lullaby over your nest,
That tenderly sings little baby to rest.

Rock-a-bye, baby, the blue eyes will dream
Sweetest when mamma's eyes over them beam;
Never again will the world seem so fair--
Sleep, little baby--there's sleep in the air.

Rock-a-bye, baby, the blue eyes will burn
And ache with the woe that your manhood will learn;
Swiftly the years come with sorrow and care,
With burdens the wee, dimpled shoulders must bear.

Rock-a-bye, baby, there's coming a day,
Whose sorrows a mother's lips can't kiss away;
Days when its song will be changed to a moan;
Crosses that baby must bear all alone.

Rock-a-bye, baby, the meadow's in bloom;
May never the frosts pall the beauty in gloom;
Be thy world ever bright as to-day it is seen;
Rock-a-bye, baby, "thy cradle is green."



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