Author: Madison Julius Cawein

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    A rollicking song for the morn, my boy,
    A rollicking song for the morn:
    It's up and out with a laugh and shout,
    While the bright sun circles the world about,
    And the dew is on the corn, my boy,
    The dew is on the corn.
    Barefoot, brown, with trousers torn,
    It's up and out with the morn.

    A jolly good song for the noon, my boy,
    A jolly good song for the noon:
    It's out and away where the wild woods sway,
    And the wind and the birds have a holiday,
    And whistle an oldtime tune, my boy,
    And whistle an oldtime tune.
    Healthy, happy, a heart of June,
    It's out in the woods at noon.

    A wonderful song for the eve, my boy,
    A wonderful song for the eve:
    The sunset's bars and a trail of stars,
    And the falls of the creek a mine of spars,
    Or a weft of crystal weave, my boy,
    A weft of crystal weave.
    Hungry, tired, with nothing to grieve,
    It's home again at eve.

    A lullaby song for the night, my boy,
    A lullaby song for the night:
    When crickets cry and owlets fly,
    And the house-hound bays the moon on high,
    And the window-lamp shines bright, my boy,
    The window-lamp shines bright.
    A drowsy kiss and a bed snow-white,
    And a lullaby-song for the night.

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Type of Poem: Ballad

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: The poem encapsulates a day’s journey from morning to night, each stanza embodying a different period of the day with an accompanying song. It's brimming with a deep sense of joy, vitality, and a celebration of the everyday. The recurring phrases "my boy" and the repeated call to song lend a personal, intimate touch, suggesting a nurturing figure addressing a young child.

The poem's tone is both exuberant and soothing, with the rhythm and rhyme scheme enhancing these qualities. The use of vivid, sensory language immerses the reader in each moment, from the bright morning sun to the serene nighttime lullaby. The poet also employs personification, as seen in the line, "the wind and the birds have a holiday", breathing life into the natural world and fostering a sense of unity between humans and nature. This poem, in its simple yet profound way, underscores the beauty of life's cycle, the inevitability of time’s passage, and the joy found in ordinary moments.