Sunday 15 January 2012

The Sunday Posts 2012



My Shadow


I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.

The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an india-rubber ball,
And he sometimes gets so little that there's none of him at all.

He hasn't got a notion of how children ought to play,
And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
He stays so close beside me, he's a coward you can see;
I'd think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!

One morning, very early, before the sun was up,
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;
But my lazy little shadow, like an arrant sleepy-head,
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.

By Robert Louis Stevenson from his collection entitled "A Child's Garden of Verses".

9 comments:

Indigo Roth said...

Hey Alistair! Finally, after a month off, I'm back to blog reading. Yours is the first, and it's set me up nicely. Thanks for sharing this one! Indigo

Jane said...

Great wee poem. Love the image of the india rubber ball. Good old Robert Louis!

Morning's Minion said...

You have reminded me of two books beloved in childhood--I had the Child's Garden of Verses and another, a brown book which was much used and worn, which had musical settings for familiar nursery rhymes.
I wonder where those books went? I suppose they became delapidated beyond saving.

Owen said...

I'm not sure to have ever seen this piece from Stevenson, so thanks for that. Did read fairly recently his "Travels With a Donkey in the Cevennes", which is marvelous, and was good preparation for a trip down that way.

Many thanks for you exceedingly kind message over at the Show... consider me touched...

Alistair said...

Kind words indeed. Many thanks Owen.

Kat_RN said...

How cute. Made me smile.
Hope your holidays are full of smiles!
Cheers,
Kat

Alistair said...

Yours too Kat. Thanks!

Unknown said...

Hi, found your blog from Alberta Canada, and enjoyed the little poem that I haven't heard in eons! Thanks and I'd love to have you come visit my blogging attempts across the pond...

Alistair said...

Thanks Barbara, Glad you enjoyed it!

I'll be over soon and will say hello while I'm there.

Cheers.

The Sunday Posts 2017/Mince and Tatties.

Mince and Tatties I dinna like hail tatties Pit on my plate o mince For when I tak my denner I eat them baith at yince. Sae mash ...