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Mr. Moon: A Song of the Little People
by
Bliss Carman


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O Moon, Mr. Moon,
When you comin' down?
Down on the hilltop,
Down in the glen,
Out in the clearin',
To play with little men?
Moon, Mr. Moon,
When you comin' down?

O Mr. Moon,
Hurry up your stumps!
Don't you hear Bullfrog
Callin' to his wife,
And old black Cricket
A-wheezin' at his fife?
Hurry up your stumps,
And get on your pumps!
Moon, Mr. Moon,
When you comin' down?

O Mr. Moon,
Hurry up along!
The reeds in the current
Are whisperin' slow;
The river's a-wimplin'
To and fro
Hurry up along,
Or you'll miss the song!
Moon, Mr. Moon,
When you comin' down?

O Mr. Moon,
We're all here!
Honey-bug, Thistledrift,
White-imp, Weird,
Wryface, Billiken,
Quidnunc, Queered;
We're all here,
And the coast is clear!
Moon, Mr. Moon,
When you comin' down?

O Mr. Moon,
We're the little men!
Dewlap, Pussymouse,
Ferntip, Freak,
Drink-again, Shambler,
Talkytalk, Squeak;
Three times ten
Of us little men!
Moon, Mr. Moon,
When you comin' down?

O Mr. Moon,
We're all ready!
Tallenough, Squaretoes,
Amble, Tip,
Buddybud, Heigho,
Little black Pip;
We're all ready,
And the wind walks steady!
Moon, Mr. Moon,
When you comin' down?

O Mr. Moon,
We're thirty score;
Yellowbeard, Piper,
Lieabed, Toots,
Meadowbee, Moonboy,
Bully-in-boots;
Three times more
Than thirty score.
Moon, Mr. Moon,
When you comin' down?

O Mr. Moon,
Keep your eye peeled;
Watch out to windward,
Or you'll miss the fun,
Down by the acre
Where the wheat-waves run;
Keep your eye peeled
For the open field.
Moon, Mr. Moon,
When you comin' down?

O Mr. Moon,
There's not much time!
Hurry, if you're comin',
You lazy old bones!
You can sleep to-morrow
While the Buzbuz drones;
There's not much time
Till the church bells chime.
Moon, Mr. Moon,
When you comin' down?

O Mr. Moon,
Just see the clover!
Soon we'll be going
Where the Gray Goose went
When all her money
Was spent, spent, spent!
Down through the clover,
When the revel's over!
Moon, Mr. Moon,
When you comin' down?

O Moon, Mr. Moon,
When you comin' down?
Down where the Good Folk
Dance in a ring,
Down where the Little Folk
Sing?
Moon, Mr. Moon,
When you comin' down?

From More Songs from Vagabondia (Copeland & Day, 1896).
This poem is in the public domain.


William Bliss Carman (1861 - 1929) was a Canadian poet whose standing and success rose and fell throughout his lifetime, though he was eventually named as his country's poet laureate. Distantly related to Ralph Waldo Emerson, Bliss spent most of his adult life in Boston, pursuing whatever literary career he could. Though his poetry was respected, it wasn?t especially popular until he published Songs of Vagabondia, a rollicking, free-spirited collection that people connected with immediately. His other most notable work was serving as editor for the World's Best Poetry book series.

Echoes from Vagabondia
by Bliss Carman
Powells.com


Post New Comment:
Jo:
You're right. It is a perfect ending. And that you are returning on June 1 is a spectacular ending. What a blessing to all of us Jo
Posted 04/30/2018 01:48 PM
StefStaley:
Wistful and sweet - we carry with us a childhood longing for magic and wonder, and the song doesn't stop (in fact we sing it ever more urgently) as we near the time when the "church bells chime" and the revel is over. Thank you for sharing.
Posted 04/30/2018 10:54 AM
cork:
I read it to myself aloud and enjoyed the rhythms and the rhymes. Thank you.
Posted 04/30/2018 10:31 AM
Katrina:
Carman's poem absorbed me in its entirety. Thank you for sharing it, Jayne!
Posted 04/30/2018 10:28 AM


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