Famous Children Poems - Page 2
-
21. Listen To The MUSTN'TS
Famous Poem
Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child,
Listen to the DON'TS
Listen to the SHOULDN'TS
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WONT'S
Listen to the NEVER HAVES
Then listen close to me-
Anything can happen, child,
ANYTHING can beFeatured Shared StoryI love this poem because I have been writing love letters to my two teenagers and eight year old for fifteen years reminding them of what they shouldn't.
-
22. Homework Stew
Famous Poem
I cooked my math book in a broth
and stirred it to a steaming froth.
I threw in papers—pencils, too—
to make a pot of homework stew.
I turned the flame up nice and hot
and tossed my binder in the pot.
I sprinkled in my book report
with colored markers by the quart.
Despite its putrid, noxious gas,
I proudly took my stew to class.
And though the smell was so grotesque,
I set it on my teacher’s desk.
My teacher said, “You’re quite a chef.
But, still, you’re going to get an F.
I didn’t ask for ‘homework stew,’
I said, ‘Tomorrow, homework’s due.'”
“Homework Stew” copyright © 2005 Kenn Nesbitt. All Rights Reserved. Published in When the Teacher Isn’t Looking. Reprinted by permission of the author. www.poetry4kids.comFeatured Shared StoryI loved this poem because I loved how it said "I sprinkled up my book report". When at the end the teacher said "Your quite a chef but you get a F, I did not say homework stew, I said...
-
23. Elaine The Complainer
Famous Poem
My name is Elaine
and I like to complain.
Complaining is all that I do.
I moan when it’s hot
and I groan when it’s not.
I whine when the sky is too blue.
I fuss that the food
on my plate must be chewed.
I whimper whenever I clean.
I frequently fret
if my bath gets me wet.
I gripe if the grass is too green.
I act like my brain
is in terrible pain
when people are being polite.
But then, if they’re rude,
it will ruin my mood;
I’ll grumble and mumble all night.
But though I delight
in complaining all night,
there’s one thing I simply can’t see.
I don’t understand
(since I’m clearly so grand)
why people complain about me.
“Elaine the Complainer” copyright © 2021 Kenn Nesbitt. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted by permission of the author. www.poetry4kids.comFeatured Shared StoryI hope Elaine learns her lesson! Her story is so silly!
-
24. The Shut-Eye Train
Famous Poem
Come, my little one, with me!
There are wondrous sights to see
As the evening shadows fall;
In your pretty cap and gown,
Don't detain
The Shut-Eye train -
"Ting-a-ling!" the bell it goeth,
"Toot-toot!" the whistle bloweth,
And we hear the warning call:
"All aboard for Shut-Eye Town!"
Over hill and over plain
Soon will speed the Shut-Eye train!
Through the blue where bloom the stars
And the Mother Moon looks down
We'll away
To land of Fay -
Oh, the sights that we shall see there!
Come, my little one, with me there -
'T is a goodly train of cars -
All aboard for Shut-Eye Town!
Swifter than a wild bird's flight,
Through the realms of fleecy light
We shall speed and speed away!
Let the Night in envy frown -
What care we
How wroth she be!
To the Balow-land above us,
To the Balow-folk who love us,
Let us hasten while we may -
All aboard for Shut-Eye Town!
Shut-Eye Town is passing fair -
Golden dreams await us there;
We shall dream those dreams, my dear,
Till the Mother Moon goes down -
See unfold
Delights untold!
And in those mysterious places
We shall see beloved faces
And beloved voices hear
In the grace of Shut-Eye Town.
Heavy are your eyes, my sweet,
Weary are your little feet -
Nestle closer up to me
In your pretty cap and gown;
Don't detain
The Shut-Eye train!
"Ting-a-ling!" the bell it goeth,
"Toot-toot!" the whistle bloweth
Oh, the sights that we shall see!
All aboard for Shut-Eye Town!Featured Shared StoryHadn't come across this one before. Not quite as good as "Wynken, Blynken and Nod," but excellent for the period and a precursor to more recent sleepy time travel poems and songs.
-
25. The Land Of Nod
Famous Poem
From breakfast on through all the day
At home among my friends I stay,
But every night I go abroad
Afar into the land of Nod.
All by myself I have to go,
With none to tell me what to do–
All alone beside the streams
And up the mountain-sides of dreams.
The strangest things are these for me,
Both things to eat and things to see,
And many frightening sights abroad
Till morning in the land of Nod.
Try as I like to find the way,
I never can get back by day,
Nor can remember plain and clear
The curious music that I hear.Featured Shared StoryIt's a simple yet great poem. We cannot ignore the importance of sleeping and dreaming. Dream big and try hard to achieve it.
-
26. I'd Love To Be A Fairy's Child
Famous Poem
Children born of fairy stock
Never need for shirt or frock,
Never want for food or fire,
Always get their heart's desire:
Jingle pockets full of gold,
Marry when they're seven years old.
Every fairy child may keep
Two strong ponies and ten sheep;
All have houses, each his own,
Built of brick or granite stone;
They live on cherries, they run wild--
I'd love to be a Fairy's child.Featured Shared StoryVery nice poem. It deals with the aspirations of children. Childhood is the stage of innocence, and the present poem describes the same. It's lyrical, rhythmic and rhymed.
-
27. Morning Prayer
Famous Poem
Now another day is breaking,
Sleep was sweet and so is waking.
Dear Lord, I promised you last night
Never again to sulk or fight.
Such vows are easier to keep
When a child is sound asleep.
Today, O Lord, for your dear sake,
I'll try to keep them when awake.Featured Shared StoryHe did an amazing job on this poem.
-
28. The Fisherman
Famous Poem
The fisherman goes out at dawn
When every one's abed,
And from the bottom of the sea
Draws up his daily bread.
His life is strange ; half on the shore
And half upon the sea --
Not quite a fish, and yet not quite
The same as you and me.
The fisherman has curious eyes ;
They make you feel so queer,
As if they had seen many things
Of wonder and of fear.
They're like the sea on foggy days, --
Not gray, nor yet quite blue ;
They 're like the wondrous tales he tells
Not quite -- yet maybe -- true.
He knows so much of boats and tides,
Of winds and clouds and sky !
But when I tell of city things,
He sniffs and shuts one eye !Featured Shared StoryThe way the poet described the life of a fisherman, his continuous effort and sacrifice to stand independent, and the powerful simile used, makes the poem a classic one.
-
29. A Riddle
Famous Poem
There is one that has a head without an eye,
And there's one that has an eye without a head.
You may find the answer if you try;
And when all is said,
Half the answer hangs upon a thread.Featured Shared StoryPins and needles Try this: The beginning of eternity, The end of time and space, The beginning of every end, And the end of every place. -The Guess Book (c. 1820)
-
30. Allie
Famous Poem
Allie, call the birds in,
The birds from the sky.
Allie calls, Allie sings,
Down they all fly.
First there came
Two white doves
Then a sparrow from his nest,
Then a clucking bantam hen,
Then a robin red-breast.
Allie, call the beasts in,
The beasts, every one.
Allie calls, Allie sings,
In they all run.
First there came
Two black lambs,
Then a grunting Berkshire sow,
Then a dog without a tail,
Then a red and white cow.
Allie, call the fish up,
The fish from the stream.
Allie calls, Allie sings,
Up they all swim.
First there came
Two gold fish,
A minnow and a miller's thumb,
Then a pair of loving trout,
Then the twisted eels come.
Allie, call the children,
Children from the green.
Allie calls, Allie sings,
Soon they run in.
First there came
Tom and Madge,
Kate and I who'll not forget
How we played by the water's edge
Till the April sun set.Featured Shared StoryI met Sr. Graves in Deya de Mallorca in 1973. Having visited his home and met his family, he was kind to return the favor by singing this song among others that are of the repertoire of folk...
-
31. Friends
Famous Poem
How good to lie a little while
And look up through the tree!
The Sky is like a kind big smile
Bent sweetly over me.
The Sunshine flickers through the lace
Of leaves above my head,
And kisses me upon the face
Like Mother, before bed.
The Wind comes stealing o'er the grass
To whisper pretty things;
And though I cannot see him pass,
I feel his careful wings.
So many gentle Friends are near
Whom one can scarcely see,
A child should never feel a fear,
Wherever he may be.Featured Shared StoryNo Stories yet, You can be the first!
-
32. My Shadow
Famous Poem
I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.
The funniest things about him is the way he likes to grow-
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an India rubber ball,
And he sometimes gets so little that there's none of him at all.
He hasn't got a notion of how children ought to play,
And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
He stays so close beside me, he's a coward you can see;
I'd think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!
One morning, very early, before the sun was up,
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;
But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.Featured Shared StoryNo Stories yet, You can be the first!
-
33. If I Were King
Famous Poem
I often wish I were a King,
And then I could do anything.
If only I were King of Spain,
I'd take my hat off in the rain.
If only I were King of France,
I wouldn't brush my hair for aunts.
I think, if I were King of Greece,
I'd push things off the mantelpiece.
If I were King of Norroway,
I'd ask an elephant to stay.
If I were King of Babylon,
I'd leave my button gloves undone.
If I were King of Timbuctoo,
I'd think of lovely things to do.
If I were King of anything,
I'd tell the soldiers, "I'm the King!"Featured Shared StoryNo Stories yet, You can be the first!
-
34. Fierce Adventures
Famous Poem
Between the bookcase and the wall
'Is raised a castle, gray and tall,
The desk top is a wooden moat,
The rocking chair's a pirate boat,—
My little boy, turned six to-day,
Has fierce adventures in his play.
My little maid goes venturing, too,
O bold grim robbers—what a crew!
She helps to take the gold—but then
She hurries back to home again
For she must set the things for tea
With beautiful house-wifery.
The table's set upon the floor,
The pirate marches in,
And eats and eats and asks for more
With true piratic din.
O ye who never knew the life
Of dragon-hunting, golden strife
Of pirates on a windy sea
Returning meekly home for tea;
Who never heard the black knight's call—
I fear ye have not lived at all!Featured Shared StoryNo Stories yet, You can be the first!
-
35. The Sunshine Has A Pleasant Way
Famous Poem
The sunshine has a pleasant way
Of shining on us all the day,
It makes the little window bright,
And fills the room with pretty light.
It goes into the garden bed,
And shines on every flower head;
It warms each leaf and bud and seed
Till all the world is glad, indeed.
It creeps into the children's faces
And climbs into the highest places,
It makes me want to work and sing
And do my best in everything.
I'm glad the sunshine comes each day
To help me work and laugh and play;
To keep the little window bright
And fill the room with pretty light.Featured Shared StoryNo Stories yet, You can be the first!
-
36. I Love These Days
Famous Poem
I love these days when autumn leaves
Are falling everywhere around,
And I can tread among the sheaves,
And hear the crispy, crunchy sound.
I leave my dolly safe at home,
And climb the old gray orchard wall;
The squirrels spy me where I roam,
And scamper to the treetops tall.
And O, it is a pleasant thing
To listen for the happy sound,
Each little leaflet tries to sing,
That rustles softly to the ground.
And so I spend the afternoon,
And watch the leaves go floating by
Till Mother comes to say that soon
The dark will come into the sky.
I know when stars are overhead,
The leaves all gather in a heap,
And while I lie quite warm in bed,
They snuggle close and go to sleep.Featured Shared StoryNo Stories yet, You can be the first!
-
37. I Can't Wait For Summer
Famous Poem
I can’t wait for summer, when school days are done,
to spend the days playing outside in the sun.
I won’t have to study. No homework, no tests.
Just afternoons spent on adventures and quests.
Instead of mathematics and writing reports,
I’ll go to the park and play summertime sports.
Instead of assignments, report cards, and grades,
I’ll get to play baseball and watch the parades.
I’ll swing on the playground. I’ll swim in the pool
instead of just practicing lessons in school.
The second the school year is finally done
I’ll spend every minute with friends having fun.
I hardly can wait for the end of the year.
I’m counting the days until summer is here.
It’s hard to be patient. It’s hard to be cool.
It’s hard to believe it’s the first day of school.
“I Can’t Wait for Summer” copyright © 2005 Kenn Nesbitt. All Rights Reserved. Published in When the Teacher Isn’t Looking. Reprinted by permission of the author. www.poetry4kids.comFeatured Shared StoryNo Stories yet, You can be the first!
-
38. The Little Plant
Famous Poem
In the heart of a seed,
Buried deep, so deep,
A dear little plant
Lay fast asleep.
"Wake!" said the sunshine,
"And creep to the light."
"Wake!" said the voice
Of the raindrops bright.
The little plant heard,
And it rose to see
What the wonderful
Outside world might be.Featured Shared StoryNo Stories yet, You can be the first!
-
39. The Sugar-Plum Tree
Famous Poem
Have you ever heard of the Sugar-Plum Tree?
'Tis a marvel of great renown!
It blooms on the shore of the Lollypop sea
In the garden of Shut-Eye Town;
The fruit that it bears is so wondrously sweet
(As those who have tasted it say)
That good little children have only to eat
Of that fruit to be happy next day.
When you've got to the tree, you would have a hard time
To capture the fruit which I sing;
The tree is so tall that no person could climb
To the boughs where the sugar-plums swing!
But up in that tree sits a chocolate cat,
And a gingerbread dog prowls below -
And this is the way you contrive to get at
Those sugar-plums tempting you so:
You say but the word to that gingerbread dog
And he barks with such terrible zest
That the chocolate cat is at once all agog,
As her swelling proportions attest.
And the chocolate cat goes cavorting around
From this leafy limb unto that,
And the sugar-plums tumble, of course, to the ground -
Hurrah for that chocolate cat!
There are marshmallows, gumdrops, and peppermint canes,
With stripings of scarlet or gold,
And you carry away of the treasure that rains,
As much as your apron can hold!
So come, little child, cuddle closer to me
In your dainty white nightcap and gown,
And I'll rock you away to that Sugar-Plum Tree
In the garden of Shut-Eye Town.Featured Shared StoryNo Stories yet, You can be the first!
-
40. Over In The Meadow
Famous Poem
Over in the meadow,
In the sand, in the sun,
Lived an old mother toad
And her little toadie one.
"Wink!" said the mother;
"I wink," said the one;
So she winked and she blinked
In the sand, in the sun.
Over in the meadow,
Where the stream runs blue,
Lived an old mother fish
And her little fishes two.
"Swim!" said the mother;
"We swim," said the two;
So they swam and they leaped
Where the stream runs blue.
Over in the meadow,
In a hole in a tree,
Lived a mother bluebird
And her little birdies three.
"Sing!" said the mother;
"We sing," said the three;
So they sang and were glad
In the hole in the tree.
Over in the meadow,
In a snug beehive,
Lived a mother honeybee
And her little honeys five.
"Buzz!" said the mother;
"We buzz," said the five;
So they buzzed and they hummed
In the snug beehive.
Over in the meadow,
Where the clear pools shine,
Lived a green mother frog,
And her little froggies nine.
"Croak!" said the mother;
"We croak," said the nine;
So they croaked and they splashed
Where the clear pools shine.
Over in the meadow,
In a sly little den,
Lived a gray mother spider
And her little spiders ten.
"Spin!" said the mother;
"We spin," said the ten;
So they spun lace webs
In their sly little den.Featured Shared StoryNo Stories yet, You can be the first!
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Funny Poems for Kids
Famous Funny Poems
School Poems For Kids
Nature Poems for Kids
Animal Poems for Kids
Lesson Poems for Kids