Poems Every Child Should Know: The What-Every-Child-Should-Know-Library | Page 9

Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.

EUGENE FIELD.

THE DUEL.
"The Duel," by Eugene Field (1850-95), is almost the most popular
humorous poem that has come under my notice. In making such a
collection as this it is not easy to find poems at once delicate, witty, and
graphic. I have taught "The Duel" hundreds of times, and children
invariably love it.
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 nor 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, an hour or so,
With bits of 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 views from the Chinese
plate_!)
Next morning where the two had sat
They found no trace of the dog
or cat;
And some folks think unto this day
That burglars stole the
pair away!
But the truth about the cat and the 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 BOY WHO NEVER TOLD A LIE.
"The Boy Who Never Told a Lie" (anonymous), as well as "Whatever
Brawls Disturb the Street," by Isaac Watts (1674-1748), are real gems.
A few years ago they were more in favour than the poorer verse that
has been put forward. But they are sure to be revived.
Once there was a little boy,
With curly hair and pleasant eye--
A
boy who always told the truth,
And never, never told a lie.
And when he trotted off to school,
The children all about would cry,

"There goes the curly-headed boy--
The boy that never tells a lie."
And everybody loved him so,
Because he always told the truth,

That every day, as he grew up,
'Twas said, "There goes the honest
youth."

And when the people that stood near
Would turn to ask the reason
why,
The answer would be always this:
"Because he never tells a
lie."
LOVE BETWEEN BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
Whatever brawls disturb the street,
There should be peace at home;

Where sisters dwell and brothers meet,
Quarrels should never come.
Birds in their little nests agree;
And 'tis a shameful sight,
When
children of one family
Fall out and chide and fight.
ISAAC WATTS.
THE BLUEBELL OF SCOTLAND.
Oh where! and oh where! is your Highland laddie gone?
He's gone to
fight the French for King George upon the throne; And it's oh! in my
heart how I wish him safe at home.
Oh where! and oh where! does your Highland laddie dwell? He dwells
in merry Scotland at the sign of the Bluebell; And it's oh! in my heart
that I love my laddie well.
IF I HAD BUT TWO LITTLE WINGS.
"If I Had But Two Little Wings," by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
(1772-1834), is recommended by a number of teachers and
school-girls.
If I had but two little wings
And were a little feathery bird,
To you
I'd fly, my dear!
But thoughts like these are idle things
And I stay here.
But in my sleep to you I fly:
I'm always with you in my sleep!
The
world is all one's own.
And then one wakes, and where am I?

All, all alone.
SAMUEL T. COLERIDGE.
A FAREWELL.
"A Farewell," by Charles Kingsley (1819-75), makes it seem worth
while to be good.
My fairest child, I have no song to give you;
No lark could pipe to
skies so dull and gray;
Yet, ere we part, one lesson I can leave you
For every day.
Be good, sweet maid, and let who will be clever;
Do noble things, not
dream them all day long:
And so make life, death, and