 POETRY VERSE AND RHYME FOR CHILDREN.
This page of my site is specifically to showcase some of the poetry I have composed for children and lovers of childrens verse.
I hope you enjoy reading these as much as I have enjoyed writing them. WEYMOUTH SANDS
Us kids all went to weymouth to build castles in the sand with our pockets full of shillings in days when life was grand we took our sandwiches and honey wrapped up in paper towels we counted all our blessings then and waved at all the cows
the journey was delightful with pastures all the way sheep and ponies in the paddocks and OH what a holiday the sun was out and shining the clouds were cotton wool my brother brought his lizard pet and i brought my comics too
the town was full of people there were deck chairs by the sand you could smell the sea spray in the breeze and hear the big brass SALVATION band we saw the fairgrounds carousel and bought a currant bun there were lots of ice cream vendors there and a fat man on a drum
the sand was so inviting and the sea was warm and clean there were tourists in the shops nearby it was a most delightful scene i saw the punch and Judy show set up there on the sands there was lots of candy floss and pop with gals in summer gowns
weymouth sure looked beautiful such a busy little town there were open top buses flying by with children cheering too my brother built a sand castle and my sister played the fool
the boats were sailing in the bay and the cliffs looked quite a sight i was playing in the sea and the crabs of my toes they had a bite ouch
NURSERY TALES
a beggar at the door the storytellers leaving the children ask for more
the sun it shone since Friday the rivers running by the robin sang for breakfast a song for you and i
don't ask me many questions for the answers are plain to see one duck went a walking one ship sailed out to sea
don't look out for the master the children came to call one kid on a pony the other with his ball
so play the guitar softly sing a song of cheer the boozers in the alley the sailors saying cheers
four and twenty maidens all pretty to declare one boys in the stable yard the others are at the fair
so curtsy to the queen my gal show your ankle sweet there's cows out in the meadows the orchards apples sweet
JUST LIKE A CHILD
with innocence and fancy wild if i could dance upon a prayer walk the lanes of heather take you there
if i could dream and make them come true then grant you wishes out of the blue if i could play upon the green with bill and Ben and the may queen if i could write a million rhymes then send them on upon a time
when kings and queens all rode the land where roses grow in garland strands where imps and fairies float away across the ships moored in the bay then we would have a holiday
just like a child so pure and new id take your hand and follow you you'd tell me tales of long ago id put my trust in you
then in my dreams id grow n grow
Its Thursday morning and the sun just got up Sleep was tough, for Sparky and Brenda The night crept in and tugged at us So we went and laid down our little heads
Sparky heard that spring is coming Decided to make a new fairy frock She was up until the others slept With shears and needles and a piece of rock
The silk is gone from the cupboard in the corner Where I keep the scraps from bygone orders The color is blue and sparkly and gold If I remember if it be told
So watch the gardens as the day grows thin Cause that little fairy is gone off to sleep Tonight she will glitter in that new silk thing I hope you catch her peeping in!
JACK jack was nimble jack was quick but he burnt his bum on that candlestick
Jill was crazy Jill was fun she fell down and hurt her bum
tom was fat and tom was weak he lost his voice and couldn't speak
why have cows got four legs i don't know do you you don't know i don't know neither does the cow
children playing
i saw the children play today so frolics and so fun i saw their joy and laughter watched their merry dance begun
it was like there was no time and that today was not yet born i watched them idle away the hours cast a fair old wishing spell
saw them dance amongst the corn tops and grasp every fleeting hour their chase and run was endless and their imaginations were set free they wished the minutes past them then laughed and played once more oh the time it stood still
though the night was drifting by i heard their laughter i saw their minds at play it was springtime in the rockies and the summer holiday
PLAY TIMES.
They ran in the sunshine they splashed in the puddles they picked all the Flowers their lives just begun they smiled in the sunshine they splashed in the rain they joined hands together they ran down the lane they laughed in the shadows they rolled in the hay they skipped and they frolicked their dreams were as one they giggled and frolicked oh did they have fun they shared all their sweets there
they shared all their tears they joined in the fun there over those years they sang songs together nursery rhymes too
THE OWL AND THE PUSSY CAT
The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sea In a beautiful pea green boat, They took some honey, and plenty of money, Wrapped up in a five pound note.
The Owl looked up to the stars above, And sang to a small guitar, 'O lovely Pussy! O Pussy my love, What a beautiful Pussy you are, You are, You are! What a beautiful Pussy you are!'
Pussy said to the Owl, 'You elegant fowl! How charmingly sweet you sing! O let us be married! too long we have tarried: But what shall we do for a ring?'
They sailed away, for a year and a day, To the land where the Bong-tree grows And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood With a ring at the end of his nose, His nose, His nose, With a ring at the end of his nose.
'Dear pig, are you willing to sell for one shilling Your ring?' Said the Piggy, 'I will.' So they took it away, and were married next day By the Turkey who lives on the hill.
They dined on mince, and slices of quince, Which they ate with a runcible spoon; And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand, They danced by the light of the moon, The moon, The moon, They danced by the light of the moon
EDWARD LEAR
NURSERY TALES
A blind man at the table a beggar at the door the storytellers leaving the children ask for more the sun it shone since Friday the rivers running by the robin sang for breakfast a song for you and i
don't ask me many questions for the answers are plain to see one duck went a walking one ship sailed out to sea don't look out for the master the children came to call one kid on a pony the other with his bat and ball
so play the guitar softly and sing a song of cheer the boozers in the alley the sailors saying cheers
four and twenty maidens all pretty to declare one boys in the stable yard the others are at the fair so curtsy to the queen my gal show your ankle sweet there's cows out in the meadows the orchards apples sweet  where as a kid i played
I remember the quarries and the little shaded nook the meadows where we built our dens next to the little brook
the trees that soared up to the skies where birds hid and built their nests the hidden place behind the church where no one ever looked there best
each summertime on warehams walls where lizards all did squirm amongst the adder and the ferns where the shiny fat slow worms
all hid themselves from man and beast wherein the kids did play close by the river frome and stour i remember as if it twer yesterday
the canford walks with sandy lanes and gorse bush spreading free where gypsy man and gypsy tan mixed so heavenly
the hills and dips where robbers hid we as cowboys played at dawn where robins sang and everyone was happy in their place
i remember it like yesterday as johnny onion came to call with bicycles laden rich with giant dangling onion balls
the streets were narrow then and the hedges graced the fields where sparrows chirped each day at dawn and flew off window sills
the lights were dim and green so blessed with ironmongery rich whilst sailors sailed from old Poole quay whilst gals they took a hitch
the rabbits ran across the downs whilst guns were fired at dawn whilst farmers chased the foxes and the daisies graced the lawns
I remember summers long when winter snow was thick we hid upon the bracken then close by the liitle ditch
our dens were neat and tidy with straw and mattress thick we ran the hills and downs of land that man took and sold off for rich
I recall the ins and outs the little shop nearby where sherbet dibs were squandered for some gals pleasant eye
the running brooks and meadows sweet with rhododendrons nearby it vanished in a moment
Childhoods dream
Locked in their world of close circuit TV reality life and crude imagery far away from the streets of their play liberty
the jingles they play whilst the media tells lies whilst their childhood is lost in their sadness and smiles
the thunder it roared and the prophets foretold of days yet to be when childhood grew old like the limbs on the trees and fields left to roam but the candle was dimmed and their visions where closed
their masters and kinfolk guided their dreams with take away foods and horrific loud screams
there was food on the table and news on the spree where doctrines and war crimes paraded for thee
the masters of visions crafted their dreams with false words and logic no room for ice cream
the songs and the rhymes were lost in the maze of corrupted lost childhoods in the latest whizz craze
the songsters were singing the same dulcet tones with bleached hair and promises wrapped up in gold poems
the streets they were quiet no sounds of child's play another dream over at the end of the day
whilst a comic gave rant and a poet he prayed for a childhood forsaken and a vision waylaid.
I listened to the little people who lived beneath rainbow hill where flowers grew on sandy lanes and the air was oh so still
where the sun shone o'er the mountains across the fields of green where robins chirped their morning song and winters came to soon
I heard their laughter giggles amongst the sky of blue where rabbits hopped upon the downs and Betty lost her shoe
I smiled away the hours there listening to their song where dreams were made on happiness and verse went on and on
the shadows never fell there or cast their ugly spells where Truth and love was granted in words of love and song
the foxes chased each evening where streams were cool and clear where seagulls soared across the skies with sounds of running deer
I heard the children's laughter and frolics on the downs where heather grew in abundance on land owned by the crown the world was set in motion when the tide was rich in spray
The kids who Con -kered Dorset
They were the conkerers of Dorset the children of the south they collected all those conkers to save the lives of men and the prayers of spouse
during the war of trenches they collecting those conkers in the sun and rain just seven and six a hundred weight each sack it saved a life again and again
in the battlefields of poppies in the south of France They sent them to the munitions factory to cordite they became to save the lives of soldiers and the bravest of brave men
Just a store set there in Holton heath by warehams leafy lanes
where cordite was explosive that saved the lives of men the Dorset children saved the day that's all i can explain when they collected millions of conkers from Dorset's leafy lanes
WINNIE THE POOH
Today I Went to visit London Zoo I Heard the story of before the first world war when Winnie came to these old English shores
Baby Winnie came from Winniepeg The Canadian bear saved from the wilds The soldier boy took him to his heart then in that great war they had to part
From Canada to Salisbury plains he nursed that baby and to regents park came there Winnie the bear grew to fame in the hearts of children and minds of men
In Regents Park Zoo in London Town he grew in stature in the hearts of men children came to love him there that cuddly tame and lovely bear
Mr Milne took his son Christopher Robin there with his boyish looks and his curly hair Christopher loved that little bear more than lollipops or rides at the battersea fair
Then when the soldier returned after the war he donated Winnie to London Zoo for sure Whilst London kids loved that wee little bear Mr Milne wrote his tales of Pooh the Bear In Honor of Winnie the Canadian Bear You can see his statue in the children's zoo there.
VESPERS By A.S.MILNE 'Little Boy kneels at the foot of the bed, Droops on the little hands little gold head. Hush! Hush! Whisper who dares! Christopher Robin is saying his prayers.
God bless Mummy. I know that's right. Wasn't it fun in the bath tonight? The cold's so cold, and the hot's so hot. Oh! God bless Daddy - I quite forgot.
If I open my fingers a little bit more, I can see Nanny's dressing-gown on the door. It's a beautiful blue, but it hasn't a hood. Oh! God bless Nanny and make her good.
Mine has a hood, and I lie in bed, And pull the hood right over my head, And I shut my eyes, and I curl up small, And nobody knows that I'm there at all.
Oh! Thank you, God, for a lovely day. And what was the other I had to say? I said "Bless Daddy," so what can it be? Oh! Now I remember it. God bless Me.
Little Boy kneels at the foot of the bed, Droops on the little hands little gold head. Hush! Hush! Whisper who dares! Christopher Robin is saying his prayers.'
A.S.MILNE CAROUSEL DREAMS
Circuses and fairgrounds with bright shinning lights fairies a dancing and wishes in sight gypsies in meadows with sweet horse and carts scenes of the country and songs of the lark there's places and memories in their dreams of the night childhood lullabies and hearts to hold tight fanciful stories like treasures at sea amongst old tin soldier and old memories a fortress and castles stand high on a hill with rainbows and wishing well with waters so still songs of the master with words full of rhyme jingle jangle melodies like love on the vine witches and goblins and cauldron to stew songs of the starlings and a penny for you creative and fanciful yet full of good cheer with children out playing with voice in full gear laughter and jolliness with humbled refrains scenes of the country and patter of rain sunshine and flowers to brighten their days pastel shades painted of country roads haze fillip and frolics and gave merry chase with honey n ice cream all over their face nights at the fairgrounds and people you meet all in their dreams whilst the worlds fast asleep.
DREAMLANDS. dogs that run and lambs that leaped rainbows ends and wishing wells within worlds of wonders and super tales to cast their thoughts in rain or snow where goblins dance and fairy's play within the fields of dreams each day in a world of richness quite remote where lads and lassies soared in hopes wherein the language where dreams eloped where ships did sail and soared to towns to islands rich in treasure troves amidst the sands and rocky coves where knights and maidens set the scenes therein the hollow of a view the sailor sailed to voyage anew where Raleigh and drake set the scene where adventures rich in pirates bold fought their battles gained riches gold upon the battlefields of Moore where robin gave chase to one and all in Sherwood forests leaves of green they sheltered in the evergreens where Cinderella lost her shoe the clock did strike the hour of two
childhood dreamland
Amongst the gnomes of play there's a whispering in the night a promise of yesterday twixt a hundred million promises where dreams are made to fall there's a world of seven wonders the good lord made them all
where wishes wells are gifted aside the seven seas where heartbeats they are lifted like lovers on a spree there's a hidden voice that calls one from somewheres way up high above the clouds and sunsets where mysteries hurry by down through the chains of dew dusts where daisies bend or fall there's hope and joy and laughter amidst Truth forever more there's a rainbow in the sky there where starlight comes to call amongst the golden roads to sleep we've been there one and all.
GRANDMAS TREASURE.
At the bottom of her garden was grandmas treasure trove it was buried in a hole at least that was what were told
we kids all went there daily to see what they could find at the bottom of her garden they left their world behind
some said she hid her treasures pots of gold and dust some said it was a measure of all her love and trust
we looked beneath the apple trees the gooseberry bushes too but all we found was nettles along with slow worms and a shoe
they say that grandma Alice was rich in tales of lore she sang her hymns there daily believed in love not war
she was a salvation soldier with bonnet on her hair she sat in gods own citadell thats where yould find her there
on sundays she would tell us that jesus christ was king her words were kind and open you should have heard her sing
we never found that pot of gold beneath the orchard trees we discovered love and thruth instead the searching made us free
STEVENSONS DAYS
 Next to the bathroom at the top of the stairs I remember as children we all said our prayers the lines of the tables and verse oh so neat the manners of gentlefolk we all learned to speak there was food on the table though morsels were meek we were strong in our culture and our language was weak we learnt from our masters and held back our tears as we curtsied and frolicked throughout our play years the poets were sound then with lines oh so sweet there were hawkers and pedlar's all run down the streets the air it was cold and the hares they did run the farmland was plentiful by the roar of the gun the fables and stories we were all told our heroes were wise men and the hills made of gold the church bells they rang and the congregation grew there was laughter abroad then and boats sailed from Poole.
From a Railway Carriage by R.L Stevenson
Faster than fairies, faster than witches, Bridges and houses, hedges and ditches; And charging along like troops in a battle, All through the meadows the horses and cattle:
All of the sights of the hill and the plain Fly as thick as driving rain; And ever again, in the wink of an eye, Painted stations whistle by.
Here is a child who clambers and scrambles, All by himself and gathering brambles; Here is a tramp who stands and gazes; And here is the green for stringing the daisies!
Here is a cart run away in the road Lumping along with man and load; And here is a mill, and there is a river: Each a glimpse and gone forever! ~~~
  soccer in the alleys Poole Park Festival
THE FOREST OF ENCHANTMENT.
where the mystical maiden dwells there's a castle of adventure with a golden wishing well sparky rings the bells there the princess light the fire the unicorns all dance there their stories never tire the king was on his throne shy Anne was cooking dinner ray ray ray was on the phone they all ate frogs for dinner along with turtle soup the limeys were all joking the yanks played hula hoops the moon was on the wane the school was full of nonsense I heard the song again the PC it was burning grandma was on line the dinner was in the oven shy Anne said watch the time playing robin hood Dorset was writing poetry the wolf was in the woods the cock was crowing in the yard the dogs began to bark the song of silence was declared there were dandy lions in the park I saw a shooting star in the forest of enchantment he strummed his ole guitar the castle walls were guarded just like Wal-Mart doors there were maidens at the windows princes in the halls the knave was in the pack the joker was in hiding somewhere around the back The children were excited the master turned his key the magic was enchanted
  skipping reels of rhymes wartime evavacuees 
Land of Nod
where the fairies and pixies did play where the five bar gates opened life's fates where moonshine and sunshine were one
I dreamed I saw there a prince I declare with kingdoms and continents rich where the ladies were fair with long golden hair where their wishes of wonders were free I stumbled upon there a wishing well chair with water that stretched to the sea
the master of time rang a bell at that time when the bells of the church they did chime all rang there as one as the music begun whilst the fables were old of tales left untold though the teller was rich in his verse
the sunset was rich like the shadows of pitch whilst the boys with their drums played for free a masterly roll with a saunterly stroll whilst the sailors were all lost at sea.
in the house of great pretence he shuffled up the jack of hearts then left Truth on the bench the castle moat was dirty you could see the stench in rhyme his lover flew the nest and travelled back in time sold off all their wisdom for a night of revelry the maids were all rogue wenches with broken hearts and souls they gave up all pretences and watched their heartaches grow he promised her true love that day though her pa did not approve the maids of honour stumbled from prayers they all did say then they danced until the morning light and he stole their hearts astray as you wallow in the morning papers and what the wise men say the king of Europe borrows a gift of gold they say then sailed upon the milky way all on a Saturday where lines of stanzas flourished and fools all took a look the ducks they quacked at daybreak and the sky was full of rain the cows all mooed at natures dawn and fools took a hike again They sprinkled fairy dust on the moon today whilst the cow and the goat were out at play the fairies were looking for the rainbows end over the dell where the road doth bend the boys and girls were playing skip to my loo when the cat and the fiddle met little boy blue someone stole my dreams away then sold them to the girl named may the carousel waltzed and the big top showed pretty pictures that made no sense and nobody knows the robin danced and the pixie did a jig whilst tommy the fiddler chased a big fat pig. games of chase and girls to tease summer days on farmers lands many wishes holding hands kisses chased and tumbling fun there besides the rabbits run river banks and summer guests seaside antics in the sand listen to the Weymouth band rocks of white and seagull flights kites to fly and wars to fight dogs to chase and always told to be good sweets to savour and gum to chew chase a girl tissue tissue castles tall and rainbow skies daisy chains and lullaby's whips to crack and stones to throw geese to chase and falling snow hills to climb and dens to build brothers and sisterhoods school is out for holiday flick card fun and darts to throw childhood pleasures long ago. the little man slumbers the hours forgets all that’s been said sleeping the nighttimes dreams away far from the hours spent in his land of play the spinning tops still now the soccer ball lays the fish are still swimming in the streams by the hill the lights have gone out in the streets down below the storybooks over at the end of the show there's pillows of slumber and teeth pearly white a nod of the head and a dream to recall there's games left there strewn at the foot of the hall the day it was hectic down at the fair with carousel rides and Ferris wheel there Candy's to lick and girls to give chase now a bundle of mischief sleeps in this place birdsong and rabbits and the ding a ling songs trees to climb daily and a river to sail kites in the sky and a wish at the well frolics in forests and playmates to chase bundles of fun in this time and this space antics and frantic and new sports to try all are the pleasures of play in his eyes spills in the park and songs in the rain splashing in puddles again and again a world to explore and not a moment to lose now sound asleep in his rhapsody snooze. THE VILLAGE CHILDREN lost to reels of rhyme we were stranded in our imaginations lost in another place and time just let out to play we wallowed in our innocence trapped in this moment today destined t impart our dreams and fantasies of love like a candle wick just sparked all grown old in time lost our hopes and innocence planted on the vine. Donkey rides On Gold Hill with phrases of innocence in grandmas sweet pies face full of laughter with keen starry eyes weathered the storms and tormented skies joys of the Son and little boy blue songs of the master as they go off to bed lullaby dreamers with angelic heads peter the piper plays his sad refrain storybook tales set for a king with knight in white Armour and ballads to sing tales of the bold and medieval times cuckoo clock medley with rumpleshiltskins boast a day in the country or out to the coast ladies and gentlemen with upstanding talks pigs in the pig sties and cows in the shed with little boy blue there just a laying his head church bells a ringing in the village today noddy and big ears and sweet Mary Jane stories that tumble again and again teasing the girls or his latest whim kites that are flying high upon the hills a purbeck site greets you with scenes yet to kill girl guides and scouts all tying their knots walks in the Forest and bramble bush spins car rides and airports and ring a ding ding soccer with no posts and buckle your shoe candle light memories with tales yet to share granfers tales told from his old rocking chair. SLEEPY HEAD in the wee small hours of the morning when the world was still asleep they came creeping into my slumbers just to take a peep there was solitude and sleepyhead and contemplation too and not forgetting restfulness noddy head and crew they slipped into my slumbers disturbing all my dreams waking all my intellect imagination too thats why I'm wide awake and writing this to you DAISY LUPIN POETRY FEST STORY BOOK LANDS
Fanciful dreamers in story book eyes |
A blind man at the table
if i could live just like a child
The Frock By BRENDA WILLS
as all the years went bye.
like heaven in its glory and ships docked in the bay.
Home of that great bear Winnie the Pooh
where nelson met Bonaparte at Waterloo. 
the night that she met me.
I went one day to the land of nod 
. 
cows in pasture n rodeo
CHILDRENS RHYMES AND VERSE.
Pioneers of the academic study of children’s culture Iona and Peter Opie divided children’s songs into those taught to children by adults, which when part of a traditional culture they saw as nursery rhymes, and those that children taught to each other, which formed part of the independent culture of childhood The term nursery rhyme is used for ‘traditional’ songs for young children in Britain and many English speaking countries, but usage only dates from the nineteenth century and in North America the older ‘Mother Goose Rhymes’ is still often used.In contrast to nursery rhymes, which are learned in childhood and passed from adults to children only after a gap of twenty or sometimes forty years, children's playground and street songs, like all children's lore, are learned and passed on almost immediately. NURSERY RHYMES
  
Cobbler! Cobbler! Mend my shoe. Give it a stitch and that will do. Here's a nail, and there's a prod, And now my shoe is well shod. Cobbler! Cobbler! Mend my shoe.
Get it done by half past two. Stitch it up and stitch it down. And then I'll give you half a crown. Please mend my shoe.
Be done by two. A stitch and that will do. Look, here's a nail, And there's a prod, And now my shoe's well shod. Cobbler! Cobbler! Mend my shoe.
Give it a stitch and that will do. Here's a nail, and there's a prod, And now my shoe is well shod. Cobbler, now my shoe's well shod.
Mary had a little lamb And everywhere that Mary went, The lamb was sure to go. It followed her to school one day;
That was against the rule. It made the children laugh and play, To see a lamb at school. And so the teacher turned it out,
But still it lingered near, And waited patiently about, Till Mary did appear. "Why does the lamb love Mary so?"
The eager children cry. "Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know," The teacher did reply. Mary had a little lamb.
Its fleece was white as snow, And everywhere that Mary went, The lamb was sure to go.
The Child and the Star.
"Little star that shines so bright, Come and peep at me tonight, For I often watch for you In the pretty sky so blue. "Little Star! O tell me, pray,
Where you hide yourself all day? Have you got a home like me? and a father kind to see?" "O little Child, at you I peep,
while you lie asleep; But when days break, I my homeward journey take. "For I've many friends on high,
living with me in the sky, And a loving Father, too, Who commands what I'm to do." 
Pat-a-cake, Baker's Man.
Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, Baker's man, Bake me a cake As fast as you can. Roll it and pat it, And mark it with a "B", And put it in the oven For baby and me. Sugar and spice,
that's all nice. Little girls are worth the price. Frogs and snails, Puppies' tails, Little boys make manly males.
Little drops of water, little grains of sand, make the mighty ocean and the beauteous land. Little seeds of mercy
sown by little hands grow to bless the nations Even in far -off lands. Little deeds of kindness,
little words of love, make our earth an Eden, like the heaven above. And the little moments,
humble though they may be, make the mighty ages of eternity. 
The Rain Is.
The rain is falling all around, It falls on field and tree, It rains on the umbrellas here, And on the ships at sea. The rain is falling all around,
On each and every hill; It rains on all the houses here, On every Jack and Jill. Rain falls around us,
On all thirsty lands. Rain drops on mountains, And on sea-side sands. The rain is falling all around,
It falls on field and tree, It rains on the umbrellas here, And on the ships at sea. It rains on you and me.
Rich Man, Poor Man.
Rich man, poor man, Beggar-man, thief. Gentleman, Apothecary, Indian Chief. Soldier brave and
Sailor true. Skilled physician, Oxford blue. Squire so hale, Dashing airman, Curate pale. Tailor, drummer and
Stealer of beef, One knows joy And one knows grief. Lady, Lady, on the seashore
You have children, One to four. O Lady, dear Lady, You've kids by the score. The eldest is -- Why, he's twenty-four! You ought to marry a... Rich man, poor man,
Beggar-man, thief. Gentleman, Apothecary, Indian Chief. Soldier brave and
Sailor true. Skilled physician, Oxford blue. Squire so hale, Dashing airman, Curate pale. Tailor, drummer and
Stealer of beef, One knows joy And one knows grief. 
Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take. Guard me while I sleep tonight;
And wake me safe at dawn's first light, For now I lay me down to sleep. Dear Lord, it's you my soul doth keep. God, bless our Mum,
Bless Dad too. God help me to be true to you.
Oh little Playmate come out and play with me and bring your dollies three, climb up my apple tree, holler down my rainbarrel slide down my cellar door and we'll be jolly friends forever more. No, no, no playmate, I cannot play with you my dollies have the flu, boo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo, ain't got no rain barrel, ain't got no cellar door, but we'll be jolly friends forever more. The Story of the Chap/books and the Nursery Rhyme .
Chapbooks.
The Nursery Rhyme began to be printed in England as early as 1570! The Nursery Rhyme, which up to this point been passed to different generations verbally, started to be passed on via the written form. Printing allowed the production of books and cheap pamphlets, or Chapbooks. A chapbook is "a small book or pamphlet containing poems, ballads, stories, or religious tracts". More people during this time were learning to read but the chapbooks were also popular with people who could not read as they contained pictures, in the printed form of crude wood engravings. The Chapbook was a Middle Age equivalent of a Children's comic - documenting funny rhymes and Folklore!
Chapbooks were sold by 'Chapmen' or peddlers who sold, amongst other wares, the popular penny Chapbooks at local fairs! The Chapmen sold various wares that were easy to transport from one village or fair to the next. They attracted attention by dancing and singing the old familiar Rhymes! The word 'Chap' originates in Middle English, from the Old English 'capman' meaning 'trade' add this to the word 'cheap' to provide a full definition of a Chapman. ( You now know the origin and meaning of the name Chapman!) These old Chap books, sold by the Chapmen, have given us most of our old Nursery Rhymes! English Ballads, Folklore and old legends were also documented in Chapbooks and sung by wandering minstrels which helped to continue the spread of the old Nursery Rhymes and Legends.
The Chapbook was a cheap, small book, containing 24 pages or less without a hard cover. Chapbooks were usually anonymous and undated. The popularity of Chapbooks increased during the 1600's, 1700's and 1800's but only a few of the early copies have survived. The contents were committed from memory which accounts for some variations in the lyrics and words of some Nursery Rhymes. 
The content and material of the Chapbooks expanded in the 1700's to include children's stories like Robinson Crusoe and various versions of Perrault’s Fairy Tales. The Chapbooks provide some excellent information and material for those interested in tracing the origins of the Nursery Rhyme - all of which help us to maintain our history and heritage through the words and lyrics of the humble Nursery Rhyme.
OLDE COUNTRY RHYMES FOR KIDS
THREE OLD CROWS
Three old crows sat on a tree As black as crows could very well be They oer flew ore a country lane Then landed on a donkeys mane
They all alighted on his backbone Then pecked his eyes out one by one Out came the farmer with his gun He shot those crows excepting one That old crow he flew away Il tell you the rest some other day.
ONE FINE DAY
One fine day in the middle of the night Two dead men got up to fight One blind man to see fair play One dumb man to shout hooray
Along came a paralysed donkey He kicked the blind man in the eye He knocked him through a nine inch wall Into a dry ditch and drowned them all.
ONE TWO THREE
One two three mother caught a flea Put him in the teapot and made a cup of tea The flea jumped out and mother gave a shout Here comes father with his shirt hanging out.
ONCE UPON A TIME
Once upon a time When the bees drank wine And the monkeys chewed tobacco A little birdy came with a feather up his bum To see what was the matter.
JACKANORY
Shall I tell you a story About jackanory Shall I begin it Theres nothing in it.
For more information regarding the history and origins of the Nursery Rhymes and Verse see the following links below..
For a brilliant film of Londons childrens street rhymes of the 1950s, Click the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DrGijdmBqU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OALu7Iw53UA
Nursery rhymes
MOTHER GOOSE. The best source of childrens Rhymes and Nursery on the web
click pic
 Childrens Garden of Verse By Robert Louis Stevenson  Whether upon the garden seat You lounge with your uplifted feet Under the May's whole Heaven of blue; Or whether on the sofa you, No grown up person being by, Do some soft corner occupy; Take you this volume in your hands And enter into other lands, For lo! (as children feign) suppose You, hunting in the garden rows, Or in the lumbered attic, or The cellar - a nail-studded door And dark, descending stairway found That led to kingdoms underground: There standing, you should hear with ease Strange birds a-singing, or the trees Swing in big robber woods, or bells On many fairy citadels: There passing through (a step or so - Neither mamma nor nurse need know!) From your nice nurseries you would pass, Like Alice through the Looking-Glass Or Gerda following Little Ray, To wondrous countries far away. Well, and just so this volume can Transport each little maid or man Presto from where they live away Where other children used to play. As from the house your mother sees You playing round the garden trees, So you may see if you but look Through the windows of this book Another child far, far away And in another garden play. But do not think you can at all, By knocking on the window, call That child to hear you. He intent Is still on his play-business bent. He does not hear, he will not look, Nor yet be lured out of this book. For long ago, the truth to say, He has grown up and gone away; And it is but a child of air That lingers in the garden there.
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COBBLER COBBLER.
Little Drops of Water.
Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep
Come and Play
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