Poetry of Childhood

What we learn as children, when we are imprintable, sticks with us and can be recalled more easily than those things we learn the rest of our lives. At least that is how I have found it to work. A poem by Eugene Field, Wynken, Blynken and Nod, has been one of my lifetime favorites - my grandmother used to read it to me when she put me to bed - and I still recite it in my head occasionally when I am having a hard time falling asleep. Field also wrote The Duel (or The Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat), which was a fun story that left me wondering if those stuffed animals were real. My daddy had me memorize The Jabberwocky, quite an impressive feat for a five year old, but I always loved its fantastically big words. What did they mean anyway? My mother loved best The Children's Hour by Longfellow. I think it reminded her of her beloved father. I wanted to pass along some of these family traditions as well as A Child's Garden of Verses to my children. I must ask them what they remember of them. For old time's sake, here is:

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod

Wynken, Blynken, and Nod one night
Sailed off in a wooden shoe---
Sailed on a river of crystal light,
Into a sea of dew.
"Where are you going, and what do you wish?"
The old moon asked the three.
"We have come to fish for the herring fish
That live in this beautiful sea;
Nets of silver and gold have we!"
Said Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.

The old moon laughed and sang a song,
As they rocked in the wooden shoe,
And the wind that sped them all night long
Ruffled the waves of dew.
The little stars were the herring fish
That lived in that beautiful sea---
"Now cast your nets wherever you wish---
Never afeard are we"
So cried the stars to the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.

All night long their nets they threw
To the stars in the twinkling foam---
Then down from the skies came the wooden shoe,
Bringing the fishermen home.
Twas all so pretty a sail it seemed
As if it could not be,
And some folks thought
twas a dream they 'd dreamed
Of sailing that beautiful sea---
But I shall name you the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.

Wynken and Blynken are two little eyes,
And Nod is a little head,
And the wooden shoe that sailed the skies
Is a wee one's trundle-bed.
So shut your eyes while mother sings
Of wonderful sights that be,
And you shall see the beautiful things
As you rock in the misty sea,
Where the old shoe rocked the fishermen three:
Wynken,
Blynken,
And Nod.