[Editor: This poem for children, by L. E. Homfray, was published in Sunday Times (Sydney, NSW), 25 October 1925.]
Off to Manly
To Manly beach I am going,
With my little bucket and spade,
If Tommy won’t walk any faster
We’ll miss the boat I’m afraid,
What have I got in my basket?
Wouldn’t you love to hear!
Pies and cakes and some apples,
And a bottle of good hop beer.
I hope that the wave will rock us,
And make the steamer to roll,
But Tommy, he doesn’t like it,
He’s frightened, the poor little soul.
When we get down to Manly,
Daddy and Tommy and me,
We’ll take off our shoes and stockings,
And paddle right into the sea.
I’m going to fish for lobsters,
Perhaps, for a crab as well,
But Tommy, whose only a baby,
Will be pleased if he find a shell.
We’ll make such a jolly castle.
Then down on the sand we’ll lie,
Looking out over the ocean,
To see the big ships go by.
Then if we get very sleepy,
We’ll close up our eyes quite tight,
And listen to near the breakers
Come up shining and white,
Our Daddy will see that no one
Runs off with our socks and shoes;
One eye, he can keep on the basket,
While the other can read the news.
L. E. Homfray.
Source:
Sunday Times (Sydney, NSW), 25 October 1925, p. 3 of the supplement “Pranks: The Children’s Newspaper”
Editor’s notes:
Manly = a northern suburb of Sydney (New South Wales)
[Editor: Changed “Wouldn’s” to “Wouldn’t”.]
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