Shadow children, thin and small, <br />Now the day is left behind, <br />You are dancing on the wall, <br />On the curtains, on the blind. <br /> <br />On the ceiling, children, too, <br />Peeping round the nursery door, <br />Let me come and play with you, <br />As we always played before. <br /> <br />Let's pretend that we have wings <br />And can really truly fly <br />Over every sort of things <br />Up and up into the sky. <br /> <br />Where the sweet star children play-- <br />It does seem a dreadful rule, <br />They must stay inside all day. <br />I suppose they go to school. <br /> <br />And to-night, dears, do you see, <br />They are having such a race <br />With their father moon--the tree <br />Almost hides his funny face. <br /> <br />Shadow children, once at night, <br />I was all tucked up in bed, <br />Father moon came--such a fright-- <br />Through the window poked his head; <br /> <br />I could see his staring eyes, <br />O, my dears, I was afraid, <br />That was not a nice surprise, <br />And the dreadful noise I made! <br /> <br />Let us make a fairy ring, <br />Shadow children, hand in hand, <br />And our songs quite softly sing <br />That we learned in fairyland. <br /> <br />Shadow children, hin and small, <br />See, the day is far behind; <br />And I kiss you--on the wall-- <br />On the curtains--on the blind.<br /><br />Katherine Mansfield<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/evening-song-of-the-thoughtful-child/
