The Rock-a-By Lady from Hushaby Street
Comes stealing; comes creeping;
The poppies they hang from her head to her feet,
And each hath a dream that is tiny and fleet--
She bringeth her poppies to you, my sweet,
When she findeth you sleeping!
There is one little dream of a beautiful drum--
"Rub-a-dub!" it goeth;
There is one little dream of a big sugar-plum,
And lo! thick and fast the other dreams come
Of popguns that bang, and tin tops that hum,
And a trumpet that bloweth!
And dollies peep out of those wee little dreams
With laughter and singing;
And boats go a-floating on silvery streams,
And the stars peek-a-boo with their own misty gleams,
And up, up, and up, where the Mother Moon beams,
The fairies go winging!
[Illustration: ROSWELL FRANCIS FIELD, EUGENE FIELD'S YOUNGEST SON
AND THE INSPIRER OF "THE ROCK-A-BY LADY," "BOOH,"
AND MANY OTHER POEMS IN THE VOLUME "LOVE-SONGS OF CHILDHOOD."