Pages

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Babies Don't Keep


BABIES DON'T KEEP
by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

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.


I have been enjoying my boys immensely of late. All I want to do is read to them, snuggle with them, listen to their stories, make silly faces, play games, see new sights, and learn fascinating things with them. My house is starting to show it, but these are moments and days that I will never get back. I have much on my plate this next week so the posts will be light, but hopefully I will at least be leaving you with a thought for the day. Go rock those babies... even if they aren't quite babies anymore.

3 comments:

Barb said...

There is much wisdom in what you've written and I love that poem. My oldest is 16, near 17 and in my brief time as a parent I can attest that they do grow up too fast. They'll (your boys) will remember with fondness these days, not what your house looked like. Priorities!

Anonymous said...

I loved the poem!! It is so true!!We can hardly wait to get to see you all in less than 2 weeks. Grandma

Poiema said...

I waited 15 years for my first baby, and when she came I dropped everything else in my life to devote my time to her. I've never regretted it! The youngest of my four is now 8, and we still enjoy those snuggles and books. And yes, the house looks less than perfect. There will be another season to make "house beautiful".