Late lies the wintry sun a-bed,
A frosty, fiery sleepy-head;
Blinks but an hour or two; and then,
A blood-red orange, sets again.
Before the stars have left the skies,
At morning in the dark I rise;
And shivering in my nakedness,
By the cold candle, bathe and dress.
Close by the jolly fire I sit
To warm my frozen bones a bit;
Or with a reindeer-sled, explore
The colder countries round the door.
When to go out, my nurse doth wrap
Me in my comforter and cap;
The cold wind burns my face, and blows
Its frosty pepper up my nose.
Black are my steps on silver sod;
Thick blows my frosty breath abroad;
And tree and house, and hill and lake,
Are frosted like a wedding-cake.
(from A Child’s Garden of Verses, 1885)
Linda Hall says
Dear editor, many thanks for printing one of my favorite poets that I grew up with. I went right to my bookshelf to retrieve my book of his poems that was my grandfathers, My mother loved them so. she had me memorizing “I Had a little shadow” when I was 4 years old. More children in this day and age should be reintroduced to his poetry. It’s so descriptive of many childhood experiences and their questions. He paints beautiful pictures.