Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE WHITE CAP, by ISABEL ECCLESTONE MACKAY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE WHITE CAP, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: One day a baby wave was born
Last Line: With sunbeams in her hair!
Subject(s): Babies; Children; Parents; Infants; Childhood; Parenthood


ONE day a baby wave was born,
Child of the tide was she,
Safe circled by the warm young morn
And cradled in the sea.

And oh, it was a pleasant thing
The bright new world to know,
To wonder at the gull's wet wing
And why it sparkled so!

To smile back at the sky who sent
A dress of dainty blue,
To thank the wind who chuckling lent
A neat white cap or two.

Then came the kindly moon who gave
A chain of jewels bright,
(For every little baby wave
Wears shining things at night!)

And oh, 'twas just as sweet to lie
Beneath the dancing stars,
To watch the glistening ships sail by
With silver on their spars!

To chase the boats of fishermen
And spatter them with spray,
To lift them high, so high! And then
To laugh and run away!

'Twas harmless fun, but, whisper low,
That cap the sly wind lent
Held magic and it made her grow
Quite wild and turbulent.

So when the kind moon went away
She took her diamonds too,
The angry sky grew cold and grey
And took the dress of blue.

The naughty wave began to fear
And sought her mother's lap—
"My child, the cause is very clear,
Take off that saucy cap!"

And when the cap was off, the day
Grew bright, the sky shone fair,
And fast asleep the wavelet lay
With sunbeams in her hair!





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