Home › Family › Nicola

Babies Don't Keep

Fri, 01/12/2006
nicola

I'm forever singing songs to Abigail that I only know half the words to, so whilst searching out the other half of the words to one on the internet, I found this poem, which I thought was very sweet......

I hope that my child, looking back on today
Will remember a mother who had time to play;
Because children grow up while you're not looking,
There are years ahead for cleaning and cooking.
So, quiet now cobwebs, dust go to sleep.
I'm nursing my baby, and babies don't keep.

from www.nurseryrhymes4u.com

Comments

Mon, 10/11/2008 - 19:27 — Anonymous (not verified)

I loved this poem and

I loved this poem and thought of putting it in the front of the childrens diaries that I childmind for, as parents often say they are too busy to play with their children, and leave that up to me.

Tue, 22/07/2008 - 03:27 — G'ma (not verified)

When I had my first baby,

When I had my first baby, the nurse in the hospital said the last 2 lines to me. I remembered that the entire time I was raising my 5 children. Now I have grandchildren, and I want their mothers to hear that poem. It's almost easier to live it as a grandma!

Thu, 03/07/2008 - 03:05 — Nona Nita (not verified)

I just love that poem. When

I just love that poem. When I was a young at home mom with a 4 year old and a nursing newborn, I cut it out and put it near the front door after someone had made an off hand, but hurtful comment about cobwebs... It provided much needed validation of my priorities then. Now, my validation is two wonderful adult children with whom I have a close, loving relationship. Thanks for the memory!

Thu, 03/07/2008 - 02:59 — Nona Nita (not verified)

I just love that poem. When

I just love that poem. When I was a young mother, home with a 4 year old and a nursing newborn, I cut it out of some information I had received at a La Leche League meeting. I actually remember putting it up on my wall so that people could see it when they came in the front door after my mom had made an offhand, but hurtful comment, about cobwebs... It provided much needed validation then that my priorities were in the right place... My validation now consists of two wonderful grown children with whom I have a close, loving relationship. Thanks for the memory!

Sat, 03/02/2007 - 04:50 — Catherine (not verified)

Here is the whole

Here is the whole poem:

Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
Sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(lullaby, rock-a-bye, Lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(pat-a-cake, darling, and peek-peek-a-boo).
The shopping is not done and there's nothing for stew
And out in the yard there is a hullabaloo.
But I'm playing "Kanga" and this is my "Roo."
Look! Aren't his eyes the most wonderful hue?
(lullaby, rock-a-bye, lullaby loo).

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
For children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

Ruth Hulburt Hamilton, 1958

Tue, 03/04/2007 - 22:01 — seanyconnor

Poem

Thats sweet,
my mum always goes on about the difference between a house and a home