OUR POETRY

Taranaki Daily News, 19 May 1928, Page 20

OUR POETRY

DOROTHY’S MUSTN’TS. (Sent by Amy Burrell.) . I’m sick of “mustn’ts,’’ said Dorothy D. Sick of “musn’ts” as I can be; From early morn to the close of day, I hear a “musn’t” but never a “may.” It’s “You mustn’t lie there, you sleepy head, And you mustn't sit up when it's time for bed, You mustn't cry when I comb your curls, You mustn’t play with those noisy girls, You mustn't be silent when spoken to, You mustn’t chatter as parrots do, You mustn’t be pert, and you mustn’t be proud. You mustn’t nod in place of “yes.” So all day long the mustn’ts go, Till I dream at night of art endless row Of Goblin mustn’ts with great big eyes, That stare at me in shocked surprise. 0, I hope I shall live to see the day, When someone will say to me, “Dear, yon may,” For Pm sick of mustn’ts, said Dorothy D, Siek of mustn’ts as I can be.

WINTER. (Sent by Clara Brown.) My name is Winter, But the violets purple, and tho roses red, When I come forward are lying dead, And the poor brown things I cover with white, With feathery snowflakes, soft and light. Then, kings of Christmas, blithe and joUy. Live Robin and I and the shining holly. “WHO ARE YOU?” (Sent by Stan O’Donnell.) Said, baby boy to Elfin Blue, “Where did you come from, and who are you ?” Ou tip toes rose the Merry Elf. And cried, “I do not know myself.” MR. TWINKLETO (Sent by Linda Marr.) Old Mr. Twinkletoes tumbled out of bed, When he woke up he was standing on his head. He wrapped up his feet, In * corner of the sheet, And. the feet went to sleep on the pillow. Everybody knows that Mr. Twinkletoes, Has pea-green hair and sky-blue toes, He nailed a purple rose, To his pink and yellow nose, Because he was so fond of the smell-o. Old Mr. Twinkletoes sat down to tea. Mutton chop, toffee shop, toasted humble bee. A thimbleful of ale, He drank from a pail, Because he was afraid it would, spill-o. ROSE MA BELLE.

(Sent by Ngia Olliver.) Sometimes I wake in the deep, dark night, And the thunder growls outside, A spatter of rain puts out the stars, And I cuddle down deep and hide. You can’t got me, oh, you can't get me, Though you beat on the window pane! But I wonder what —oh, I wonder what I’ve left outside in the rain!

Oh, Rose Ma Belle was the loveliest doll! Her hair was as long as mine. Her lashes were gold as the jonquil buds, And her eyes had the starriest shine. She was dressed like a bride, though she hadn’t a groom, But that was a small affair! She’d a dress as white as lily tn bloom, And a long white veil in her hair.

And I took her to sit in the orchard • grass, For the birds and the I>ees to see, And 1 showed her, the hole where the gooches live, At the foot of the old plum tree. Then Daddy honked in the lane outside — Oh, this is so hard to tell! And I laid her down and I went for a ride. My sweet little Rose Ma Belie!

And oh, and oh —in the deep, dark night —I woke and I heard the rain!

Splash and spatter and swish it fell, On the roof and the window pane. And I cuddled deep in my cool white

bed—■ For it used to sing as it fell

Then all of a sudden I raised my head. And I thought about Rose Ma Belle.

Out in the dark and the pouring rain Helpless and dressed so thin, And I ran and stood, by the window pane, And howled till the folks came in! And mother said to me, “Go and look In your own little wiekery chair!” , And I paddled quick to the playroom door— And Rose Ma Belle was there!

And I hugged my mother for bringing her in, And I hugged my Rose Ma Belle, And I hugged my daddy and all the rest, And I laughed till my heart got well. But always now, in the deep, dark night, When it beats on the window pane, i cuddle down deep and I wonder what I’ve left outside in the rain.

MOTHER SMILED. (Sent by Joyce Bond.) Mother: “What did you learn in school to-day, Connie ?” Connie: “We learned a piece of poetry about the King of Fishes, mummie." Mother: “The King of Fishes! Why, what do you mean, dear I Connie: King Cole, mummie. Teacher said he was a merry old sole.” HIDDEN COUNTRIES. (Sent by Amy Neilson.) (1) The way Geoff ran certainly surprised us. (2) He eent the manager many orders. (3) The flower had a golden mark in its centre. . (4) Do you agree? Certainly I do; (5) Ask Pol and Jack to come to tea. Answers: (1) France, (2) Germany, (3) Denmark. (!) Greece, (5) Poland.