At Dawn

They come to my room at the break of the day,

With their faces all smiles and their minds full of play;

They come on their tip-toes and silently creep

To the edge of the bed where I'm lying asleep,

And then at a signal, on which they agree,

With a shout of delight they jump right onto me.

They lift up my eyelids and tickle my nose,

And scratch at my cheeks with their little pink toes;

And sometimes to give them a laugh and a scare

I snap and I growl like a cinnamon bear;

Then over I roll, and with three kids astride

I gallop away on their feather-bed ride.

I've thought it all over. Man's biggest mistake

Is in wanting to sleep when his babes are awake;

When they come to his room for that first bit of fun

He should make up his mind that his sleeping is done;

He should share in the laughter they bring to his side

And start off the day with that feather-bed ride.

Oh they're fun at their breakfast and fun at their lunch;

Any hour of the day they're a glorious bunch!

When they're togged up for Sundays they're certainly fine,

And I'm glad in my heart I can call them all mine,

But I think that the time that I like them the best

Is that hour in the morning before they are dressed.