Little Eyes Upon You

Anon

There are little eyes upon you

and they're watching night and day.

There are little ears that quickly

take in every word you say.

There are little hands all eager

to do anything you do;

And a little boy who's dreaming

of the day he'll be like you.

You're the little fellow's idol,

you're the wisest of the wise.

In his little mind about you

no suspicions ever rise.

He believes in you devoutly,

holds all that you say and do;

He will say and do, in your way,

when he's grown up like you.

-o0o-

HAVE A NICE DAY

Spike Milligan 1918-2002

"Help, help," said a man. "I'm drowning."

"Hang on," said a man from the shore.

"Help, help," said the man. "I'm not clowning."

"Yes, I know, I heard you before.

Be patient dear man who is drowning,

You, see I've got a disease.

I'm waiting for a Doctor J. Browning.

So do be patient please."

"How long," said the man who was drowning. "Will it take for the Doc to arrive?"

"Not very long," said the man with the disease. "Till then try staying alive."

"Very well," said the man who was drowning. "I'll try and stay afloat.

By reciting the poems of Browning

And other things he wrote."

"Help, help," said the man with the disease, "I suddenly feel quite ill."

"Keep calm." said the man who was drowning, "Breathe deeply and lie quite still."

"Oh dear," said the man with the awful disease. "I think I'm going to die."

"Farewell," said the man who was drowning.

Said the man with the disease, "goodbye."

So the man who was drowning, drownded

And the man with the disease past away.

But apart from that,

And a fire in my flat,

It's been a very nice day.

-o0o-

THE PASSIONATE SHEPHERD TO HIS LOVE

Christopher Marlowe 1564-93

Come live with me and be my Love,

And we will all the pleasures prove

That hills and valleys, dale and field,

And all the craggy mountains yield.

There will we sit upon the rocks

And see the shepherds feed their flocks,

By shallow rivers, to whose falls

Melodious birds sing madrigals.

There will I make thee beds of roses

And a thousand fragrant posies,

A cap of flowers, and a kirtle

Embroider'd all with leaves of myrtle.

A gown made of the finest wool

Which from our pretty lambs we pull,

Fair linèd slippers for the cold,

With buckles of the purest gold.

A belt of straw and ivy buds

With coral clasps and amber studs:

And if these pleasures may thee move,

Come live with me and be my Love.

Thy silver dishes for thy meat

As precious as the gods do eat,

Shall on an ivory table be

Prepared each day for thee and me.

The shepherd swains shall dance and sing

For thy delight each May-morning:

If these delights thy mind may move,

Then live with me and be my Love.

-o0o-

THE LONG WHITE SEAM

Jean Ingelow 1820–97

As I came round the harbour buoy, 

  The lights began to gleam, 

No wave the land-lock’d water stirr’d, 

  The crags were white as cream; 

And I mark’d my love by candle-light         

  Sewing her long white seam. 

    It’s aye sewing ashore, my dear, 

      Watch and steer at sea, 

    It’s reef and furl, and haul the line, 

      Set sail and think of thee.         

I climb’d to reach her cottage door; 

  O sweetly my love sings! 

Like a shaft of light her voice breaks forth, 

  My soul to meet it springs 

As the shining water leap’d of old,         

  When stirr’d by angel wings. 

    Aye longing to list anew, 

      Awake and in my dream, 

    But never a song she sang like this, 

      Sewing her long white seam.         

Fair fall the lights, the harbour lights, 

  That brought me in to thee, 

And peace drop down on that low roof 

  For the sight that I did see, 

And the voice, my dear, that rang so clear         

  All for the love of me. 

    For O, for O, with brows bent low 

      By the candle’s flickering gleam, 

    Her wedding gown it was she wrought, 

      Sewing the long white seam.

           -o0o-       

YOUNG AND OLD 

Charles Kingsley 1819-75

When all the world is young, lad,

  And all the trees are green,

And every goose a swan, lad,

  And every lass a queen,

Then hey for boot and horse, lad,

  And round the world away;

Young blood must have its course, lad,

  And every dog his day.

When all the world is old, lad,

  And all the trees are brown;

And all the sport is stale, lad,

  And all the wheels run down,

Creep home, and take your place there,

  The spent and maimed among:

God grant you find one face there

  You loved when all was young.

-o0o-

DARK LOCHNAGAR

George Gordon, Lord Byron 1788-1824

Away, ye gay landscapes, ye gardens of roses,

In you let the minions of luxury rove,

Restore me the rocks where the snow-flake reposes,

Though still they are sacred to freedom and love.

Yet Caledonia, beloved are thy mountains,

Round their white summits though elements war,

Though cataracts foam ‘stead of smooth-flowing fountains,

I sigh for the valley of dark Lochnagar.

Ah! there my young footsteps in infancy wander’d,

My cap was the bonnet, my cloak was the plaid.

On chieftains long perish’d my memory ponder’d

As daily I strode through the pine-cover’d glade.

I sought not my home till the day’s dying glory

Gave place to the rays of the bright polar star,

For fancy was cheer’d by traditional story

Disclos’d by the natives of dark Lochnagar!

Shades of the dead! Have I not heard your voices

Rise on the night-rolling breath of the gale?

Surely the soul of the hero rejoices,

And rides on the wind o’er his own Highland vale.

Round Lochnagar while the stormy mist gathers,

Winter presides in his cold icy car.

Clouds there encircle the forms of my fathers;

They dwell in the tempests of dark Lochnagar.

-o0o-

MOONLIGHT BECOMES YOU

Johnny Burke 1908-64

Moonlight becomes you, it goes with your hair,

You certainly know the right thing to wear.

Moonlight becomes you, I'm thrilled at the sight

And I could get so romantic tonight.

You're all dressed up to go dreaming,

Now don't tell me I'm wrong,

And what a night to go dreaming,

Mind if I tag along?

If I say I love you, I want you to know

It's not just because there's moonlight

Although, moonlight becomes you so.

-o0o-