All round the house is the jet-black night; It stares through the window-pane; It crawls in the corners, hiding from the light, And it moves with the moving flame. Now my little heart goes a-beating like a drum, With the breath of Bogie in my hair, And all round the candle the crooked shadows come, And go marching along up the stair. The shadow of the balusters, the shadow of the lamp, The shadow of the child that goes to bed-- All the wicked shadows coming, tramp, tramp, tramp, With the black night overhead. [Illustration] III. IN PORT Last, to the chamber where I lie My fearful footsteps patter nigh, And come from out the cold and gloom Into my warm and cheerful room. There, safe arrived, we turn about To keep the coming shadows out, And close the happy door at last On all the perils that we past. Then, when mamma goes by to bed, She shall come in with tip-toe tread, And see me lying warm and fast And in the Land of Nod at last. [Illustration: _"In the Land of Nod at last."_] TO MY MOTHER You, too, my mother, read my rhymes For love of unforgotten times, And you may chance to hear once more The little feet along the floor. GUIDE TO PRONUNCIATION The following key explains the symbols which are used in the vocabulary of "A Child's Garden of Verses," to indicate the pronunciation of the words. It is based upon the 1901 edition of Webster's International Dictionary. [=a] as in f[=a]te. [+a] as in pref´ [+a]ce. [)a] as in [)a]dd. [:a] as in f[:a]r. [.a] as in gr[.a]ss. [a:] as in [a:]ll. [=e] as in [=e]ve. [+e] as in [+e]-vent´. [)e] as in [)e]nd. [~e] as in h[~e]r. [=i] as in [=i]ce. [)i] as in p[)i]n. [=o] as in r[=o]w. [+o] as in [+o]-bey´. [)o] as in n[)o]t. [^o] as in l[^o]rd. [=u] as in [=u]se. [+u] as in [+u]-nite´. [)u] as in [)u]p. [^u] as in f[^u]rl. [u:] as in r[u:]de. [=y] as in fl[=y]. [)y] as in pit´[)y]. [=oo] as in m[=oo]n. ou as in out. oi as in oil. [n=] = ng as in i[n=]k. th as in this. Certain vowels, as _a_ and _e_, when obscured, are italicized. A WORD LIST The definitions given in this list indicate the meanings of the words as used in "A Child's Garden of Verses." _adorned_ ([.a] dôrnd´). Made beautiful. _adventure_ ([)a]d v[)e]n´ t[+u]r). Venture; go in search of exciting experiences. _alert_ ([.a] l[~e]rt´). Watchful; quick. _anchored_ ([)a]n´ k[~e]rd). Held safely. _ancient_ ([=a]n´ shent). Earlier; old. _apes_ ([=a]ps). Animals similar to monkeys, but of a higher type. _appareled_ ([)a]p p[)a]r´ [)e]ld). Dressed; clothed. _arrant_ ([)a]r´ rant). Shameless.