In The Nursery. by Jean Ingelow — Stanza

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In The Nursery.

by Jean Ingelow

Where do you go, Bob, when you 're fast asleep?'

'Where? O well, once I went into a deep

Mine, father told of, and a cross man said

He'd make me help to dig, and eat black bread.

I saw the Queen once, in her room, quite near.

She said, "You rude boy, Bob, how came you here?"'

'Was it like mother's boudoir?'

'Grander far,

Gold chairs and things - all over diamonds - Ah!'

'You're sure it was the Queen?'

'Of course, a crown

Was on her, and a spangly purple gown.'

'I went to heaven last night.'

'O Lily, no,

How could you?'

'Yes I did, they told me so,

And my best doll, my favourite, with the blue

Frock, Jasmine, I took her to heaven too.'

'What was it like?'

'A kind of - I can't tell -

A sort of orchard place in a long dell,

With trees all over flowers. And there were birds

Who could do talking, say soft pretty words;

They let me stroke them, and I showed it all

To Jasmine. And I heard a blue dove call,

"Child, this is heaven." I was not frightened when

It spoke, I said "Where are the angels then?"'

'Well.'

'So it said, "Look up and you shall see."

There were two angels sitting in the tree,

As tall as mother; they had long gold hair.

They let drop down the fruit they gather'd there

And little angels came for it - so sweet.

Here they were beggar children in the street,

And the dove said they had the prettiest things,

And wore their best frocks every day.'

'And wings,

Had they no wings?'

'O yes, and lined with white

Like swallow wings, so soft - so very light

Fluttering about.'

'Well.'

'Well, I did not stay,

So that was all.'

'They made you go away?'

'I did not go - but - I was gone.'

'I know.'

'But it's a pity, Bob, we never go

Together.'

'Yes, and have no dreams to tell,

But the next day both know it all quite well.'

'And, Bob, if I could dream you came with me

You would be there perhaps.'

'Perhaps - we'll see.'