PoemsClassic poems for children, complete
The poems generations of children have learnt by heart, complete and in the public domain: Jane Taylor's The Star (most people know only the first verse of five), Christina Rossetti's Who Has Seen the Wind?, and three poems from Robert Louis Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verses (1885).
Poems
The Star (Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star)
Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are! Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky. When the blazing sun is gone, When he nothing shines upon, Then you show your little light, Twinkle, twinkle, all the night. Then the traveller in the dark Thanks you for your tiny spark; He could not see which way to go, If you did not twinkle so. In the dark blue sky you keep, And often through my curtains peep, For you never shut your eye Till the sun is in the sky. As your bright and tiny spark Lights the traveller in the dark, Though I know not what you are, Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
Jane Taylor (1783 to 1824), Rhymes for the Nursery (1806)Who Has Seen the Wind?
Who has seen the wind? Neither I nor you: But when the leaves hang trembling, The wind is passing through. Who has seen the wind? Neither you nor I: But when the trees bow down their heads, The wind is passing by.
Christina Rossetti (1830 to 1894), Sing-Song (1872)The Swing
How do you like to go up in a swing, Up in the air so blue? Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing Ever a child can do! Up in the air and over the wall, Till I can see so wide, Rivers and trees and cattle and all Over the countryside, Till I look down on the garden green, Down on the roof so brown, Up in the air I go flying again, Up in the air and down!
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 to 1894), A Child's Garden of Verses (1885)Bed in Summer
In winter I get up at night And dress by yellow candle-light. In summer, quite the other way, I have to go to bed by day. I have to go to bed and see The birds still hopping on the tree, Or hear the grown-up people's feet Still going past me in the street. And does it not seem hard to you, When all the sky is clear and blue, And I should like so much to play, To have to go to bed by day?
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 to 1894), A Child's Garden of Verses (1885)Rain
The rain is raining all around, It falls on field and tree, It rains on the umbrellas here, And on the ships at sea.
Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 to 1894), A Child's Garden of Verses (1885)I'm Nobody! Who Are You?
I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too? Then there's a pair of us, don't tell! They'd banish us, you know. How dreary to be somebody! How public, like a frog To tell your name the livelong day To an admiring bog!
Emily Dickinson (1830 to 1886), published 1891
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Good to know
- The Star has five verses. Singing all five surprises every audience.