Poems for Children Sigourney/Baby to a Baby, with a New Year's Present

by Lydia Sigourney

Baby to a Baby, with a New-Year's Present.

'T is New-Year's day,
The people say,
    Kind notes they frame,
And presents send,
So I, my friend,
    Will do the same.

I think I must
Write you the first,
    Because you see
My age is four
Whole months and more,
    And yours but three.

You've talents great
For church or state,
    I often hear,
But don't be vain,
Wise men are plain,
    And meek, my dear.

When thought asleep,
I sometimes peep
    My cradle o'er,
And slily turn
My ear and learn
    Some curious lore.

A doctor grave,
Who lives can save,
    I thus espied;
And when Nurse blam'd
And loudly sham'd
    All babes who cried,

He said 't was better
To lay no fetter
    Upon the lungs,
To expand the chest
Was surely best
    By use of tongues.

Such precepts rare,
I lock'd with care
    Close in my breast,
Don't you think, John,
To act upon
    His plan is best?

If chains that bind
The free-born mind
    Make men rebel,
Can strict restraint
On all complaint
    Please babies well?

With whisker'd chin
When guests come in,
    To me they fly,
And grasp me tight.
Until with fright,
    I'm forc'd to cry.

'Tis surely rude
Thus to intrude
    On ladies fair,
Do let me know
To treat you so,
    If people dare.

To send with this
A New-Year's kiss
    To Margaret fair,
Who's three years old,.
And wise I'm told,
    I hardly dare.

But mind, my friend,
I do not send,
    A kiss to you,
To grant a beau
Such gifts, you know
    Would never do.

Now John, farewell,
For truth to tell,
    To eat and doze,
So takes my time
I scarce can rhyme
    Or write in prose.

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