Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry. 1904.
Poems of Home: II. For ChildrenGood Night and Good Morning
Richard Monckton Milnes, Lord Houghton (18091885)A
Sewing as long as her eyes could see;
Then smoothed her work and folded it right,
And said, “Dear work, good night, good night!”
Crying, “Caw, caw!” on their way to bed,
She said, as she watched their curious flight,
“Little black things, good night, good night!”
The sheep’s “Bleat! bleat!” came over the road;
All seeming to say, with a quiet delight,
“Good little girl, good night, good night!”
Though she saw him there like a ball of light;
For she knew he had God’s time to keep
All over the world and never could sleep.
The violets courtesied, and went to bed;
And good little Lucy tied up her hair,
And said, on her knees, her favorite prayer.
She knew nothing more till again it was day;
And all things said to the beautiful sun,
“Good morning, good morning! our work is begun.”