Classic and Contemporary Poetry
ETHELBERT'S 'COMING HOME IN THE DARK', by FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL Poet's Biography First Line: Did I tell you how we went to tea Last Line: At what we told him, willie and I. Subject(s): Children; Parents; Childhood; Parenthood | ||||||||
DID I tell you how we went to tea, All by ourselves, with kind Mrs B.? And how we came home in the dark so late, I think it was nearly half-past eight! We liked the tea, and all the rest, But coming home in the dark was best, Best of all! oh, it was such fun, The nicest thing we have ever done. Nurse took Willie, and Bertha took me, Bertha is such a great girl, you see; She sometimes says to us, Now, little boys, Don't you make such a dreadful noise, You will wake little Sybil with all your riot!' And then we have to beoh, so quiet! She is nearly eight, and ever so tall But Willie and I are not very small; We are six years old, and our birthdays came Both on one day, the very same; So people say we are little twins, And as much alike as two little pins. And Papa likes having a pair of boys, Although we make such a dreadful noise; 'Much more amusing,' we heard him say, 'Than a couple of odd ones, any day!' It was only so very dark down below Along the lane where the blackberries grow, For the little stars were out in the sky, And we laughed to see them, Willie and I, For they twinkled away, so quick and bright, I think they were laughing at us that night. A bright one got up from behind a tree, And peeped at Bertha and Willie and me; And round the corner we saw another Playing at hide-and-seek with his brother, Popping out from a cloud, and then Running behind it to hide again. And then the kind little Moon came out To take care of the Stars as they played about; She looked so quiet and good, we thought That perhaps they went to her school to be taught, And to learn from her how to shine so bright; But Grandmamma told us we did not guess right, For the Moon goes to school herself to the Sun: Do you think she meant it only in fun? Then all of a sudden the Wind ran by, And flow up to kiss the Stars in the sky; He tucked them up, and said good-night, And drew the curtain round them tight. That was a great dark cloud, you see, That hid the Stars from Willie and me. I think they were sorry to go to bed, For they did not look tired at all, we said; And one or two of them tried to peep; But very soon they were all asleep, For the Wind kept singing their lullaby, And we felt quite vexed with him, Willie and I. I think the Moon asked if she might not stay To light us a little bit more of the way, But he whistled quite loud, and we thought he said, 'No, no, no! you must go to bed!' The good little Moon did what she was bid, And under the curtain her pretty face hid; And then it got darker and darker still; Nurse said she was setting behind the hill. So perhaps she was tired, and glad to go; It's a long way across the sky, you know. We were not afraid, but we did not talk As we came along the avenue walk; And we did not quite like looking back, For the pretty green trees were all quite black. But I whispered to Willie that God was there, And we need not be frightened, for He would take care. And then all at once we saw the light In the dining-room window, ever so bright; And up we came through the little gate, Oh, it was so nice to come home so late: And then we gave a famous shout, For dear Mamma herself came out To meet us, just as we got to the door; But she had not expected us home before. And then we took it by turns to talk, And tell them about the tea and the walk; And Papa did laugh so,we wondered why! At what we told him, Willie and I. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MY PARENTS HAVE COME HOME LAUGHING by MARK JARMAN BIRTHDAY (AUTOBIOGRAPHY) by ROBINSON JEFFERS LOOKING IN AT NIGHT by MARY KINZIE THE VELVET HAND by PHYLLIS MCGINLEY CURRICULUM VITAE by LISEL MUELLER CIVILIZING THE CHILD by LISEL MUELLER MISSING THE DEAD by LISEL MUELLER CONSECRATION HYMN by FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL I DID THIS FOR THEE! WHAT HAST THOU DONE FOR ME? by FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL A BIRTHDAY GREETING TO MY FATHER, 1860 by FRANCES RIDLEY HAVERGAL |
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