I'm hiding, I'm hiding
And no one knows where;
For all they can see is my
Toes and my hair
And I just heard my father
Say to my mother -
"But, darling, he must be
Somewhere or other;
Have you looked in the inkwell?"
And Mother said, "Where?"
"In the INKWEL?"said Father. But
I was not there.
Then "Wait!" cried my mother —
"I think that I see
Him under the carpet." But
It was not me.
"Inside the mirror's
A pretty good place."
Said Father and looked, but saw
Only his face.
"We've hunted," sighed Mother,
"As hard as we could
And I am so afraid that we've
Lost him for good."
Then I laughed out aloud
And I wiggled my toes
And Father said —"Look, dear,
I wonder if those
Toes could be Benny's?
There are ten of them, see?"
And they WERE so surprised to find
Out it was me!
Notes
From a book entitled "A Child's Anthology of Poetry"
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Comments
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best poem ever!
From guest Shirley (contact)
I am 57 and still can say this poem! My childcraft book binding was bent to this page! I am going to try and scan old copy to frame in my NEW Grandson's room (born 7-8-9) His middle name is Benjamin! -
From guest Kathy (contact)
I learned this poem in the 50's when I was a child at a drama class. I am now teaching it to my grandchildren. I have remembered the first stanza for 50 years. So glad to find the whole poem on the web. Thanks. -
I'm Hiding, I'm Hiding
From guest Jean (contact)
I loved this poem from my Childcraft Book. I am 64 and recently gave the volume to my daughter for her 5 year old. I think I was 6 years old when my parents purchased the Childcraft books. This was one of my favorite poems when I was a child. My grandson reminds me so much of "Benny" and I have asked my daughter to photograph him--under the table, under the carpet--and when he is "found" so that I can put it in a little book (one of my hobbies is bookbinding) for him, and the poem, "There was a little girl who had a little curl, right in the middle of her forehead. When she was good, she was very, very good, but when she was bad she was horrid" or "When Young Melissa Sweeps a Room" for my granddaughter. I can't remember what happened last week, but these poems from 60 years ago will be with me forever! -
i love this poem
From guest LK Sterling (contact)
i recently found an old copy of Childcraft Volume One--Poems of Early Childhood in the Sunday School room in my church. Looking through those old poems brought back so many pre-school memories. I knew the first three stanzas of this by heart and finding the book and remembering the rest of it was a joyful treat. It has cute illustrations also, making it clear that the child is in plain sight all along. A charming classic childhood poem. -
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From guest Penny (contact)
My mother used to quote this poem to me when I was a little girl (60-some years ago) and I'm framing this print to hang in my granddaughter's bedroom, because I've quoted it to her. -
no, it does say its in the dark category
MOD MESSAGE
We have 132 poems in our "dark" category so far. This is not one of them. http://oldpoetry.com/tag/show/Dark
Could you please tell us which "dark" category you are refering to? -
Why is this in the 'dark' category?
~~
I think you may have mis-read. this poem is correctly placed in the Childrens category.
Von ~ Oldpoetry Team -
From guest Karen (contact)
Thanks for having this available! Was trying to recite it to my grandkids, but couldn't get past the first few lines... thanks again! -
Love "Hiding"
From guest Jill (contact)
I am so excited to finally find this poem once again. It was one of my favorites as an elementary school child. I had a wonderful reading teacher who had us read a poem every Friday. I lost this wonderful book which had so many of beloved poems and this was one was one of my favorites! I'll be searching for that book & hopefully will find all those wonderful memories. -
I'm Hiding, I'm Hiding
From guest Molly Fiscella (contact)
My mother read this poem to me and helped me memorize it for a school presentation in the early 1940's. Subsequently I read it to my children and later to my grans. It is in a book "Two Hundred Best Poems for Boys and Girls" compiled by Marjorie Barrows with a black cover decorated with flowers and 3 children, but I would not sell if for the world. It was copyrighted in 1930, 1938 and most of the art work is in silhouette which really enhanced my imagination. My other favorites in that book are Little Orphan Annie and Animal Crackers. Also, two of Dickinson's -Autumn and I Never Saw a Moor. Also, some of Frost whom I met personally a few years later and he gave me his autograph after I quoted from Mending Walls. It is wonderful that you have this website - keep up your good work. -
A poem From Child Craft book 3 World Book encyclopedia
From guest y davis (contact)
I am 50ish. I learned this poem as a child. It came back to me recently out of the blue. I wanted to check to see if i remembered it correctly. I missed the "under the carpet". Yesterday I learned that Brain research say poems is the form of literature we will remember the longest. WoW!! Thanks for being here. How do I get a copy of that book A Child's Anthology? -
THANK YOU!
From guest Ramona Bouzard (contact)
I learned this poem when I was little and can still see the book in which it was included (orange with blue binding. I couldn't remember the middle section and I am so grateful to find the entire poem again. Thank you. -
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Gillingham
Best place to find used copies of old poetry books is here: http://www.bookfinder.com/?src=google-ur
Charley Noble
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Fun poems from my childhood
From guest Esther (contact)
I remember learning this poem in Grade 1 ... way back in the early '60's. It brings back so many great memories ... thanks so much! -
Hiding
From guest Rhonda (contact)
I started to recite this poem from my childhood to my granddaughter. I couldn't remember but the first few stanzas. Thank you so much for the trip down memory lane with her. -
Fun Memories
From guest Linda Cadwell (contact)
I'm sixty-one years old and was able to remember almost all of this poem that I originally memorized to recite for a class (although I can't remember what class it was). I recited it for my in-laws at Christmas, leaving out one stanza, then wanted to hunt for it to check it out. Glad it was here! -
Hiding
From guest Brenda Pankratz (contact)
I have fond memories of my mother reading this poem to us when we were children!!! Glad to find that it is still around!! -
I like the way it rhymes and how the verses flow into one another. It is the type of poetry that I am writing. I would like to be able to purchase the book and share with my son.
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hiding
From guest bonnie stein (contact)
i was looking for this poem for a while.. i had memorized it as a child, but could only recall the first stanza. i wanted to share it with my daughter and now i can... -
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for bonnie stein:
We are pleased you are now able to share lovely poem with your daughter. It's quite a find and I had never read it myself until I saw your comment. It takes me back many years when my parents used to pretend they had no idea where my sister and I were hiding
.
Von
Oldpoetry
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Finally
From guest Michele Vratanina (contact)
I looked through stores and quite a few books to find this poem. I used to recite this to my younger brothers and sister and my niece that i raised but i forgot most of it. Now I am a Grandmother and I wanted to tell it to my grandkids but all I could remember was the first verse. Is there any way i can get a copy of this? It would be greatly appreciate it. -
I'm Hiding Was Recited by My Sister
From guest James Johanson (contact)
I remember my sister recited this to her children. It was a long time ago. I have been searching the Web for a couple of days and finally found it just as I remember her. Thanks for the memory. -
Hiding
From guest Melva & Joe Bryant (contact)
Thank you, thank you. Have been searching high and low for this. It was something we read to our daughters virtually every night when they were young and they are now 44, 46, 49 and 51. We think the grandchildren and greats will also appreciate it. -
This is the first poem that I recited in a talent show
From guest Dave de Coup-Crank (contact)
To you folks at Old Poetry: On a whim, I searched the internet for this poem. on 03-07-2007 I had doubts that I remebered it, but I guess I did. In 1959, when I was in Kindergarten, I was 4 years old and recited this poem on stage in in a Southern California talent competition. I won the first place of all the competitors, with every abe from 4 to 13 years old, and I have been an actor, performer, musician, poet and songwriter ever since. It is amazing how such a simple poem can make such a subtle impact in one's life. My thanks to you for reposting it. Dave de Coup-Crank -
This is a special poem.
From guest Susan Kristoff (contact)
My niece loved this poem growing up. It brings back so many pleasant memories. I have been looking everywhere for this. She still remembers this and she is 24 years old. -
A Child's Anthology of Poetry
From guest Helen M. Grayson (contact)
How can I buy a copy of A Child's Anthology of Poetry? I am interested in the children's poetry. I used to recite Hiding for my children when they were small and I would like to have the book. -
Hiding
From guest J Mellendick (contact)
I learned this poem as a child and it suddebly was brought back to me when my greatgran son was hiding from me. I started to recite the poem and couldn't remember parts of it. Thanks for bringing it back to me.
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