Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, BEDTIME NOW!, by ISABEL ECCLESTONE MACKAY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

BEDTIME NOW!, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Little leaves, go to bed!' said the wind thro' the trees
Last Line: But the leaves were too sleepy to hear what he said!
Subject(s): Children; Mothers; Night; Sleep; Childhood; Bedtime


"LITTLE leaves, go to bed!" said the Wind thro' the trees.
"If you stay out so long you will certainly freeze,
I come from the North and I know what I know—
Someone's coming this way with a capful of snow!"

Loud murmured the leaves, all a-flutter with dread,
"O dear Mother-tree, did you hear what he said?
But the sun is so bright and the sky is so blue—
He was teasing us, mother, it couldn't be true!

"Why 'twas only last week that we changed our green gown
For this beautiful mixture—red, yellow and brown—
Go to bed in these clothes?—it just couldn't be done—
Please tell us, dear mother, 'twas but the Wind's fun!"

The Tree shook her head and 'tis sad but 'tis true,
Though she shook it so gently, a stray leaf or two
Grew giddy and fell and the Wind laughed "Ho-Ho!"
And gaily he flattened them out in a row.

"Come on," called the Wind and he swept a low bow,
"You'll have to come soon so you'd better come now;
Never mind your gay dress, what's a crease or a tear?
In the scheme of creation it's not here nor there!"

They fell and they fell, and they covered the ground
And the Wind caught them up and he danced them around
And he laughed a "Good-Night" as he clapped them in bed—
But the leaves were too sleepy to hear what he said!





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