Do tell us more...

I guess I was a kind of sensitive kid (believe it or not) and that poem really got to me then, and indeed, for many years to come. At age 42, I finally became a Dad and now at age 50, it's all I can do to even get a few words of it out before choking up and crying like a fool. About the time Tris was born, Karen and I were "back home" and searching the large cemetery at Schoenbrunn where my family is buried for a "missing" aunt buried in a different section. Quite unexpectedly, we stumbled upon a section of the grounds reserved for children. On and around the monuments and markers were dolls, trains, fire trucks, stuffed animals, and other toys .............I can't even talk about it. We stood there in tears and holding each other and wondered what the parents and relatives must feel. Some of these deaths had occurred 40 or 50 tears before....and still the little trucks and dolls............"Little Boy Blue" didn't just flash into my mind, it exploded there................I wonder what happens to the toys placed there at the graves. Does someone take them away after a time? Do the parents exchange them for others? Doesn't matter, but if they came back and they were gone, I'd feel as though my child had taken them off and played with them.....might help.....or maybe not.

Today was the first day back at school for Tris and Michael, ages almost 7 and almost 8..........I cannot imagine what we would feel, be, or do without them. Just found out that a friend's little 10 year old boy, a Down Syndrome child, was diagnosed with Leukemia. Ain't life just grand? Probably the ONLY subject where Catspaw doesn't go for a laugh........................

Spaw---Looking forward to a "great" day

Comical Folk

In a cottage in Fife lived a man and his wife
Who believe me, were comical folk.
They both saw with their eyes, and to people's surprise
, Their tongues moved when ever they spoke.

Whenever they'd sleep, I'm told that to keep
Their eyes open they could not contrive.
They both walked on their feet, and 'twas thought what they eat
Helped, with drinking, to keep them alive.

Custard was in my Big Golden Book of Poetry --

Belinda lived in a little white house
With a little black kitten and a little gray mouse,
And a little yellow dog and a little red wagon
And a realio, trulio, little pet dragon.

Now the name of tha little black kitten was Ink,
and the little gray mouse, she called her Blink
And the little yellow dog was as sharp as Mustard
But the dragon was a coward, and she called him Custard.

All the other critters perform great acts of daring do, while "Custard just cries for a nice safe cage." He was my absolute favorite.
Blessings,
Barbara

Wynken, Blynken and Nod is my favorite childhood poem. I asked a mother in my office if she knew it yesterday and when she said no, I printed it up and made her promise to read it to her little girl. I love the Sugar-Plum Tree too. Reading them makes me happy. For some reason I thought I was the only one who knew them though; I didn't realize that it was so widely loved. It's good to know.

The French version is great and the illustrations are fantastic.

LEAR Edward: LE HIBOU ET LA POUSSIQUETTE ; Rupert Hart Davis, The Owl and the Pussycat in French, freely translated by Francis Steegmuller. Illustrated by Monique-Alika Watteau.

You can probably find it at www.bibliofind.com

I have a few more but I made the mistake of reading the little boy blue thread even though I should have been prepared by Spaw's comments. It made me think of my own kids and starting school/going back to school, which they will do next Thursday. I found the first day my youngest started to be a very traumatic day for us. My wife and I were quivering wrecks. I'll never forget when we finally had to leave the room and leave him with his new class mates and teacher. He was so small, the smallest in the class. He started school on the day of his fifth birthday. He was realy scared. We could see it in his eyes. He wears glasses so his eyes were magnified even more. We couldn't speak as we backed out the door. The lump in my throat felt like it would choke me. Anyway this is not a nursery rhyme but I dedicate it to all the parents who's kids are going back to school, especially for those who have little ones starting for the first time.

Wee Hughie
He's gone to school wee Hughie
And him not four,
Sure I saw the fright was in him,
When he left the door,

But he took a hand of Denny,
An' a hand of Dan,
Wi' Joe's oul coat upon him,
Och, the poor wee man,

He cut the quarest figure,
More stout nor thin,
An' trottin' right and steady,
Wi' his toes turned in,

I watched him to the corner,
O' the big turf stack,
An' the more his feet went forrit',
Still his head turned back.

He was lookin' would I call him,
Och, me heart was woe
Sure its lost I am without him,
But he be to go.

I followed to the turnin'
When he passed it by,
God help him he was cryin'
And maybe so was I.

It always brings a tear to my eye when I recite it and since my own children came along I can never make to the last verse. Den the blubbering fool

Bob S.

I am very fortunate that my 6 (soon to be seven) year old girl loves going to school. More precisely, she like going to school; she loves to ride the school bus. She likes school in general, and gets mad if there is a holiday. School for her starts on the first of September, so she will be happy soon to ride the bus.

Black Walnut, is that special ed or regular preschool? My kids both went to early intervention (autism) and there were some poems and songs they liked.

Margarita

A fly can't bird, but a bird can fly!

Little Boy Blue
Come blow your Horn
The sheep's in the meadow
The cow's in the corn.
Quit blowing yourself and get to work.

Spaw

Little Boy Blue
Come blow your Horn
The sheep's in the meadow
The cow's in the corn.
Quit blowing yourself and get to work.

Baa Baa Black Sheep
Have you any wool?
Because if you don't
The stew pot will be full.

Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
Dumbass place for an egg to be anyway.

Spaw

Nogs

Mary had a little lamb
It's fleece was white and wavy
It followed her to cooking school
and now it's lamb with gravy!

Sorry!

mcmoo

......and now......

Peter T. is a man of intelligent thoughts,
As I've learned from his many pennings.
But now I fear he's gone over the edge,
By dressing herons like Waylon Jennings.

The gingham dog and the calico cat
Side by side on the table sat;
'Twas half past twelve, and (what do you think!)
Nor one not t'other had slept a wink!
The old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate
Appeared to know as sure as fate
There was going to be a terrible spat;
(I wasn't there; I simply state
What was told to me by the Chinese plate!)

The gingham dog went, "Bow-wow-wow!"
And the calico cat replied, "Mee-ow!"
The air was littered, and hour or so,
With bits og gingham and calico
While the old Dutch clock in the chimney place
Up with its hands before its face,
For it always dreaded a family row!"
(Now mind: I'm only telling you
What the old Dutch clock declares is true!)

The Chinese plate looked very blue,
And wailed, "Oh dear! what shall we do!"
But the gingham dog and the calico cat
Wallowed this way and tumbled that,
Employing every tooth and claw
In the awfullest way you ever saw--
And, oh! how the gingham and calico flew!
(Don't fancy I exaggerate--
I got my news from the Chinese plate!)

Next morning, where the two had sat,
They found no trace of dog or cat;
And some folks think unto this day
That burglars stole that pair away!
But the truth about the cat and pup
Is this: they ate each other up!
Now what do you really think of that!
(The old Dutch clock it told me so,
And that is how I came to know.)

Eugene Field

THE WOODCHUCK'S PORTRAIT

Sit still, Mr. Woodchuck, As still as can be, Till the picture is finished And then you shall see.

It is not every woodchuck Who has such a chance As this set before him, His worth to enhance.

So please to sit still, sir, And perk up your ears; Wear a pleasant expression And quiet all fears.

Look straight at the camera, This is earnest, not fun. All ready? Click! Now, sir, The picture is done.