C.J. Dennis' Book for Kids.
C.J. and his wife had no children of their own but his love of children is evident in this collection of beautiful children poems: - his foreward read:
" .... Too all good children over four
and under four and eighty
Be ye not over-prone to pore
On matters grave and weighty
Mayhap you'll find within this book
Some touch of youth's rare clowning
If you will condescend to look
and not descend to frowning.
The mind of one small boy may hold
odd fancies and inviting
To guide a hand unsure and old
that moves these days to writing
For hair once bright in days of yore
Grows grey (or somewhat slaty)
and now alas he's over four
though under four and eighty.
C.J. Dennis
- There's a very funny insect that you do not often spy,
And it isn't quite a spider, and it isn't quite a fly;38 lines, 9 comments - Hey, there! Listen awhile! Listen awhile, and come.
Down in the street there are marching feet, and I hear the beat of a20 lines, 3 comments - Hey, there! Hoop-la! the circus is in town!
Have you seen the elephant? Have you seen the clown?12 lines, 65,535 comments - When I go back from Billy's place I always have to roam
The mazy road, the crazy road that leads the long way home.61 lines - Here's a ridiculous riddle for you:
How many o's are there in Woolloomooloo?4 lines, 2 comments - Old farmer Jack gazed on his wheat,
And feared the frost would nip it.12 lines, 1 comment - 'Rover, rover, cattle-drover, where go you to-day?'
I go to Cuppacumalomga, fifty miles away;32 lines - Once a little sugar ant made up his mind to roam-
To far away far away, far away from home.21 lines, 2 comments - What do you think I saw to-day when I arose at dawn?
Blue Wrens and Yellow-tails dancing on the lawn!13 lines - Come, let us sing with a right good ring
(Sing hey for lifting lay, sing hey!)47 lines - Out across the spinifex, out across the sand,
Out across the saltbush to Never Never land6 lines, 1 comment - Did you see them pass to-day, Billy, Kate and Robin,
All astride upon the back of old grey Dobbin?12 lines, 1 comment - High on the hills, where the tall trees grow,
There lives an axeman that I know.64 lines - 'Excuse me if I sit on you,' the cup said to the saucer.
'I fear I've been here all the afternoon.'10 lines, 1 comment - Little Tommy Tadpole began to weep and wail,
For little Tommy Tadpole had lost his little tail;3 lines, 5 comments - I'd like to be a baker, and come when morning breaks,
Calling out, "Beeay-ko!" (that's the sound he makes) -7 lines - I'd like to be a barber, and learn to shave and clip,
Calling out, "Next please! and pocketing my tip."8 lines - I'd like to be a sailor - a sailor bold and bluff -
Calling out, "Ship ahoy!" in manly tones and gruff.7 lines - I'd like to be a porter, and always on the run,
Calling out, "Stand aside!" and asking leave of none.7 lines - 'd like to be a pieman, and ring a little bell,
Calling out, "Hot pies! Hot pies to sell!"7 lines - I'd like to be a teacher, and have a clever brain,
Calling out, "Attention, please!" and "Must I speak in vain?"7 lines - I wonder what the Jacks have got to laugh and laugh about.
I'm sure the worms don't see the joke when Jacky digs them out.13 lines - I'd like to be a postman, and walk along the street,
Calling out, "Good Morning, Sir," to gentlemen I meet,7 lines
