Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, JOHNNY'S BY-LOW SONG, by LAURA ELIZABETH HOWE RICHARDS



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

JOHNNY'S BY-LOW SONG, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Here on our rock-away horse we go
Last Line: Lullaby, lullaby, by-low.
Alternate Author Name(s): Richards, Laura E.


Here on our rock-away horse we go,
Johnny and I, to a land we know,--
Far away in the sunset gold,
A lovelier land than can be told.

Where all the flowers go niddlety nod,
Nod, nod, niddlety nod!
Where all the flowers go niddlety nod,
And all the birds sing by-low!
Lullaby, lullaby, by-low.

The gates are ivory set with pearls,
One for the boys, and one for the girls;
So shut your bonny two eyes of blue,
Or else they never will let you through.

Where all the flowers go niddlety nod,
Nod, nod, niddlety nod!
Where all the flowers go niddlety nod,
And all the birds sing by-low!
Lullaby, lullaby, by-low.

But what are the children all about?
There's never a laugh and never a shout.
Why, they all fell asleep, dear, long ago;
For how could they keep awake, you know?

When all the flowers went niddlety nod,
Nod, nod, niddlety nod!
When all the flowers went niddlety nod,
And all the birds sang by-low!
Lullaby, lullaby, by-low.

And each little brown or golden head
Is pillowed soft in a satin bed,--
A satin bed with sheets of silk,
As soft as down and as white as milk.

And all the flowers go niddlety nod,
Nod, nod, niddlety nod!
And all the flowers go niddlety nod,
And all the birds sing by-low!
Lullaby, lullaby, by-low.

The brook in its sleep goes babbling by,
And the fat little clouds are asleep in the sky:
And now little Johnny is sleeping, too,
So open the gates and pass him through.

Where all the flowers go niddlety nod,
Nod, nod, niddlety nod!
Where all the flowers go niddlety nod,
And all the birds sing by-low!
Lullaby, lullaby, by-low.





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