Classic Poem

Magic Wood! Magic Wood!
Through the woods I came!
There I found the Playing Man
And it was a game.

" I will be the Queen ," you said,
" In a gown of green."
" Very well, my Dear," said I,
" You shall be the Queen."

Patty was your golden shoe,
Anne, your bright green gown —
Adelaide the treasure chest
Where you kept your crown.

Peter was the rock outside,
Making quiet shade.
I could not see the Playing Man,
He was the Game we played.

" You shall be the child ," you said,
" And your feet are bare.
You'll be lost in the great woods!
And please have golden hair."

" Please to want your mother, too,
Crying in the night!
Then you'll see my tall tower
And my shiny light!"

" Very well, my Dear," said I —
" I will weep indeed,
Crying, " Mother " all night long!
And my feet will bleed."

" Come to my door ," you said
" I will let you in.
I will say. " You're wet and cold.
Where have you been? "

" I will lead you in with me
To my jewelled chair.
I will mend your ragged dress
And comb your golden hair.

" I will hold you in my arms,
I will call you Dear.
I will be the Mother Queen —
Nobody to fear!

" I will give you bread and milk
And sing a song to you.
Go to sleep as soft as silk!
That's what I'll do."

Arvia was the song you sang,
Getting me to sleep!
Betty was the jewelled chair
Cushioned soft and deep.

Sally was the golden crown,
Curiously made.
I could not see the Playing Man,
He was the Game we played.

" I will be the Queen ," you said,
" In a gown of green."
" Very well, my Dear," said I,
" You shall be the Queen."

" You shall be the child ," you said,
" Oh, so small and mild!"
" Very well, my Dear," said I,
" I will be the child."

" I will teach you how to read
In a magic Book.
It will make you laugh to see
How the letters look."

Richard was the letter A,
Jack was the B.
All the letters laughed like children
Dancing round a tree.

" When you've learned the lovely letters
And their curious ways,
Then I'll let you read the stories
Turning them to Plays.

" They're all about a Playing Man.
He played the loveliest games.
He could make folks change about
Just by calling names.

" He could make-believe so hard
He could really be.
He could be the road to town,
Or an apple tree.

" He could be the very book
Where the letters are.
He could be a little child,
He could be a star.

" Anything at all he could!
He's the tower Door.
Once he was a loaf of bread
And gave it to the poor.

" If we play the stories hard,
Right — straight — through —
Perhaps we'll see the Playing Man!
He may be playing, too.

" I will be the Queen ," you said,
" In a gown of green."
" Very well," said I, " my Dear —
You shall be the Queen."

" But the least thing that I say
You must quickly do.
If you do it just that way
I'll be your mother, too."

" I will do it just that way —
Child of spells and charms!"
So you cried, " Run to me then —
To my very arms."

To your arms I ran, my Dear,
And you seemed so wise!
" Look at me, my child ," you said,
" Look into my eyes."

So I looked into your eyes.
God! ... What did I see?
All the Motherhood of Heaven
Round my infancy!

What a deep angelic mirth
Smiled out of your face!
Yet how mild, serene you were,
Of abundant grace.

All the powers of Heaven streamed
From your Sovereign breast.
There I lay and seemed to feed ...
Oh, what lovely rest!

Far — far — had I come!
Long, long, had I striven!
Oh — 'tis such a silly thing
That keeps silly folks from Heaven.

" Rock-a-bye — Hush-a-bye!
Was the forest deep?
Arvia is the song I sing,
Getting you to sleep.

" Rock-a-bye! Hush-a-bye!
I've a lovely plan.
When you wake we'll play a game
With the Playing Man.

" I will be a Tall Town —
Stately as a Queen —
The Playing Man shall be a Tree
In my garden green.

" You shall be the child ," you said,
" Oh, so small and mild."
" Very well, my Dear," said I,
" I will be the child."