A Child's Dream

[HunterBrown1968]

In tall grass and fields of green,
fairies whisper a child's dream.

In the night full of lunar light a child eagerly seeks,
the mystical beings and magical spells,
of fairy dust, oh what tales to tell.
In the child's mind full of hopes and dreams,
the reality of such things will never go unseen.

But someday, as time takes its toll,
the child grows and the soul gets old.
No longer does he see, the magic of his dreams,
for Father Time has replaced them with realities,
and so it seems,

his imagination no longer races,
his soul no longer embraces,
the fairy whispers of a child's dream.

[HunterBrown1968]

In tall grass and fields of green,
fairies whisper a child's dream.

In the night full of lunar light a child eagerly seeks,
the mystical beings and magical spells,
of fairy dust, oh what tales to tell.
In the child's mind full of hopes and dreams,
the reality of such things will never go unseen.

But someday, as time takes its toll,
the child grows and the soul gets old.
No longer does he see, the magic of his dreams,
for Father Time has replaced them with realities,
and so it seems,

his imagination no longer races,
his soul no longer embraces,
the fairy whispers of a child's dream.

One day, after a long day of work, I read my child a story before bed out of a book called "The Children's Book of Virtues" by William J. Bennett. The story was entitled "The Stars in the Sky" which was adapted from Carolyn Sherwin Bailey, Kate Douglas Wiggin, and Nora Archibald Smith. It was an old English tale that reminds us the higher we reach, the longer and harder we have to try. For anyone who has a pre-school child, it's a great story to share with them and so is every other tale in the book. :thumbs_up :nod:

[PrinceMyshkin]

Yes, and for every story we share with one of our children, they share their joy in it with us.

[ampoule]

One day, after a long day of work, I read my child a story before bed out of a book called "The Children's Book of Virtues" by William J. Bennett. The story was entitled "The Stars in the Sky" which was adapted from Carolyn Sherwin Bailey, Kate Douglas Wiggin, and Nora Archibald Smith. It was an old English tale that reminds us the higher we reach, the longer and harder we have to try. For anyone who has a pre-school child, it's a great story to share with them and so is every other tale in the book. :thumbs_up :nod:

Nice poem, Hunter, and nice inspiration. I have the book you mention as well as Bennett's adult version. I don't mean 'adult' version :blush:, ha. Hopefully you know what I mean. Anyway....my children are no longer preschoolers but I teach preschoolers and those stories and illustrations are wonderful.

Welcome to litnet.

[firefangled]

Hunter, this is a beautiful poem. I'm not sure we ever forget those books. I grew up with a set called Collier's Junior Classics. Each book was a different level and color. I still remember some of the poems by heart, some still make me cry. Do you know one by Eugene Field,


The little toy dog is covered with dust,
but sturdy and staunch he stands.
The little toy soldier is red with rust,
and his musket molds in his hands.
Time was when the little toy dog was new,
and the soldier was passing fair.
That was the time when our Little Boy Blue
kissed them and put them there.

Now don't you go 'til I come, he said,
and don't you make any noise.
Then toddling off to his trundle-bed,
he dreamed of his beautiful toys.
And as he was dreaming an angel song
awakeded our Little Boy Blue.
Oh! the years are many, and the years are long,
but the little toy friends are true.

And faithful to Little Boy Blue, they stand
each in the same old place.
Awaiting the touch of a little hand,
the smile of a little face.
And as they're waiting the long years through,
in the dust of that same old chair,
they wonder, what has become of our Little Boy Blue
since he kissed them and put them there.


We may forget for relatively brief periods, but we don't really forget these stories. This one is over 50 years ago and I've never read it since I was a child and I heard it many more times than I read it. Bless the parent who reads to their children.

[Pensive]

In tall grass and fields of green,
fairies whisper a child's dream.

In the night full of lunar light a child eagerly seeks,
the mystical beings and magical spells,
of fairy dust, oh what tales to tell.
In the child's mind full of hopes and dreams,
the reality of such things will never go unseen.

But someday, as time takes its toll,
the child grows and the soul gets old.
No longer does he see, the magic of his dreams,
for Father Time has replaced them with realities,
and so it seems,

his imagination no longer races,
his soul no longer embraces,
the fairy whispers of a child's dream.

Liked it. Liked it how you put it all; growing up of a child and emerging as an adult who has had enough of life to believe what she/he used to when little. Goes smoothly and rhymes well.

[HunterBrown1968]

Hunter, this is a beautiful poem. I'm not sure we ever forget those books. I grew up with a set called Collier's Junior Classics. Each book was a different level and color. I still remember some of the poems by heart, some still make me cry. Do you know one by Eugene Field,


The little toy dog is covered with dust,
but sturdy and staunch he stands.
The little toy soldier is red with rust,
and his musket molds in his hands.
Time was when the little toy dog was new,
and the soldier was passing fair.
That was the time when our Little Boy Blue
kissed them and put them there.

Now don't you go 'til I come, he said,
and don't you make any noise.
Then toddling off to his trundle-bed,
he dreamed of his beautiful toys.
And as he was dreaming an angel song
awakeded our Little Boy Blue.
Oh! the years are many, and the years are long,
but the little toy friends are true.

And faithful to Little Boy Blue, they stand
each in the same old place.
Awaiting the touch of a little hand,
the smile of a little face.
And as they're waiting the long years through,
in the dust of that same old chair,
they wonder, what has become of our Little Boy Blue
since he kissed them and put them there.


We may forget for relatively brief periods, but we don't really forget these stories. This one is over 50 years ago and I've never read it since I was a child and I heard it many more times than I read it. Bless the parent who reads to their children.


Thank you, Firefangled, for sharing that most heart touching poem. I too begin to miss and wonder where the years went. So busy are we when our children are small that when are hands begin to slow, there is nothing left but time to think and reminisce. As for remebering the poems by heart, I wish I could remember all the poems I've read as a child and even as an adult, but I can't. So I just write them down and keep them in a compilation of journals and bring them out when I feel I need some inspiration. Thanks again.