Madison Julius Cawein (Мэдисон Джулиус Кавейн)
Nothing to Do
Don't know what to do to-day. Got so many things to do I can't do them. Want to play, But my toys are all too new I don't like to play with them: Blocks and paints and dogs and guns; Watch that winds up by the stem; And a train of cars that runs Round a track and far away. Don't know what to do to-day. Don't know what to do to-day. Whether just to stand and look At my Christmas-tree, or stay Looking at my picture-book Full of fairy stories; or Ask to have them read to me; Or to bother mother for Something off the Christmas-tree: I don't know and I can't say Don't know what to do to-day. Don't know what to do to-day. Never can make up my mind. I could take my new red sleigh And go sleighing on behind Some old wagon on the snow As the other children do: But, you see, I just don't know! There's my brand new wagon, too; It'd be lonesome, me away. Don't know what to do to-day. Don't know what to do to-day. There's my fine new rocking-horse, Long of tail and dapple-gray, I might ride on him of course: But my new velocipede What would it do then? or what Would that "fiery, untamed steed," That I almost had forgot, Hobbyhorse just think or say? Don't know what to do to-day. Don't know what to do to-day. But I know what I could do: I could make my donkey bray By just twisting round a screw In his stomach, and that's all; I might make my rooster crow; And my big mechanical doll Play his music-box; and, oh! I could make my old hen lay. That's what I could do to-day. "Don't know what to do to-day!" Mother says, "Well, I suppose, Better put your toys away. You've too many, heaven knows! Don't know what Old Santa meant Bringing you a toy-store. You Have too much, that's evident; Give some to those children who Have n't toys with which to play. That's what you could do to-day. "Don't know what to do to-day? That's just what you could do! take Lot of these new toys, you say You won't play with, and just make Christmas visits to the poor: Little boys and girls Old Kris Skipped; just made his old sleigh soar O'er their chimneys; seemed to miss Every one along his way. That's what you could do to-day." That's what I could do to-day. Then I helped her put some things, Toys and cakes and fruit, away; Parceled up and wrapped with strings, In a basket. Then we went And it was a lot of fun! To an alley-tenement: Made them happy, every one. It was better than a play. That was what I did to-day.
Madison Julius Cawein’s other poems:
