Sunday 9 January 2011

POEM - Dedication to "The Phoenix and the Carpet"

Just one Chapter left in "Five Children and It,"
 so will probably start this one today....
Not sure why I like these little poems on the dedication pages of Edith Nesbit's books, but I do!

"The Phoenix and the Carpet" is dedicated to her "dear godson, Hubert Griffith and his sister, Margaret" and the poem is as follows:

Dear Hubert, if I ever found
A wishing carpet lying round,
I'd stand upon it, and I'd say
"Take me to Hubert, right away!"
And then we'd travel very far
To where the magic countries are
That you and I will never see,
And choose the loveliest gifts for you, from me.

But oh!  alack! and well-a-day!
No wishing carpets come my way.
I never found a Phoenix yet,
And Psammeads are so hard to get!
So I can give you nothing fine
Only this book, your book and mine,
And hers, whose name by yours is set;
Your book, my book, the book of Margaret!

DYMCHURCH
September 1904

1 comment:

  1. I used to love the E Nesbitt stories! Glad you are reading them.

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