Babies Don’t Keep
Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing, make up the bed,
Sew on a button and butter the bread.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.
Oh, I’ve grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,
Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo.
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo
The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew
And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo
But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo
Look! Aren’t his eyes the most wonderful hue?
Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.
The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
But children grow up as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.
oh wow Ruby... that's a precious poem! I can attest to the fact that babies certainly grow faster than you can blink.
ReplyDeleteLovely, and nice photo too... is that you in it, holding that sweet baby?
That is my youngest grandson when he was about 4 days old♥♥ He is almost 9 months already!!
ReplyDeleteLove that poem. Babies don't keep.
ReplyDeleteThat's just lovely!
ReplyDeleteI think I've heard it in part before (as in the ending), so it's lovely to read all of it.
Thank you!!!!
Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteLove this poem, Ruby, thanks :)
ReplyDeleteI have read the last stanza at another blog - very sweet. I was just thinking these past few weeks that I miss my babies. I don't miss the nappy changing, teething, night feeds, grizzling etc... but I do miss the babies.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing like snuggling with a baby. They are so precious!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful poem. This precious time is so fleeting and sometimes only really appreciated on the other side unless we take the time, Thank you Ruby.
ReplyDeleteI love that poem. I used to have one similar to that years ago hanging on my wall. But alas, through tough indoor playing from my little children it was knocked off a few times and finally wasn't in shape enough to keep on the wall. Perhaps I should have hung it somewhere other than the stairway!! Thanks for posting it as I've missed it.
ReplyDeletewarmly,
tricia
I came across that poem when Ri was a little bitty thing and I've always loved it.
ReplyDeleteI miss having a baby to cuddle in the house. Am hoping for grandbabies eventually. ☺ Lovely & so true; babies don't keep.
ReplyDeleteStopped by to peek in from Ganeida's blog.
ReplyDeleteI have read another poem similar to this one, but with the Australian bent, which adds such a delightful flavor. Agreeing with others: very sweet!
The poem is beautiful! I didn't know it was so long, I have only heard the last paragraph. I used to have it in a beautiful needlepoint, but it was one of the things that had to go during one of our many moves.
ReplyDelete