The collection of fairy poems in this book came about from the happy collaboration that had begun to develop between mother and daughter. Rose was writing occasional poetry for a San Francisco Bulletin feature called the “Tuck ’em In Corner,” but she was too busy with other projects to spend much time on it. Wilder, who loved to write poetry, seized the opportunity for herself. (2-3)
Thanks to my reading of The Wilder Life (linked to my review, and admittedly, this is a second-hand opinion), I’m not convinced that this was such a “happy collaboration,” but that’s really beside the point. Included after the introduction in this little book is an adaptation of a 1916 essay by Laura entitled “Fairies Still Appear to Those with Seeing Eyes” in which she mourns the loss of a great many of childhood’s “joys by taking away its belief in wonderful, mystical things, in fairies and all their kin.” Although it’s hard to pick a favorite poem, I think mine is “Naughy Four O’Clocks.” I like to imagine these punctual little flowers refusing to have their faces washed. Enjoy!
There were some naughty flowers once,
Who were careless in their play;
They got their petals torn and soiled
As they swung in the dust all day.
Then went to bed at four o’clock,
With faces covered tight,
To keep the fairy Drop O’Dew
From washing them at night.
Poor Drop O’Dew! What could she do?
She said to the Fairy Queen,
“I cannot get those Four O’Clocks
To keep their faces clean.”
The mighty Storm King heard the tale;
“My winds and rain,” roared he,
“Shall wash these naughty flowers well,
As flowers all should be.”
So raindrops came and caught them all
Before they went to bed,
And washed those little Four O’Clocks
At three o’clock instead.
Richard Hull’s companion illustrations are imaginative, with details and deeply saturated colors, and they help us envision just what these fairies might look like. I love his depiction of the Storm King and poor little Drop O’Dew, with scrub brush in hand, attempting to clean up the recalcitrant flowers.
This little volume was a fun addition to our L.I.W. repertoire. And I think it might’ve caused Lulu to crack a small smile. 🙂 (Doubleday; Introduction, compilation, and illustrations copyright 1998)
This week’s Poetry Friday roundup is at Booktalking.
We enjoyed this poetry book last year. My daughter really likes the illustrations and her favorite poem is The Fairy Dew Drop.
Janelle,
Thanks for commenting. I KNEW I had read a review of this somewhere, but I couldn’t remember where. It was probably your blog! 🙂
SHE WROTE FAIRY POEMS?!
I rather “take after” your oldest with the “ugh” but I can stand to read Montgomery’s poetry (because one really ought to do so, you know) and anything with fairies. (I don’t know why, really.) This one sounds DELIGHTFUL! Seriously buying it right away.
Carrie,
Knowing your affinity for fairies, I actually searched YOUR blog for a review of this book! 🙂
Boom! Ordered. You’ve expanded my universe.
Hm! I knew vaguely that LIW liked fairies and wrote a fairy poetry book, but it never occurred to me to check it out. Thanks for the review!
There are a couple of her fairie poems in Little House in the Ozarks, a collection of her magazine columns, edited by Stephen Hines, but I must have missed that she had a whole book of them.
From what I’ve read it seems like Rose and Laura had their stormy times, but it seems to have smoothed out as time went on. There is one book that’s a collection of letters Laura wrote back to Almanzo while she was visiting Rose in San Francisco, I think partly to see the World’s Fair. I haven’t read that one yet but want to for the next LIW challenge. I’m wondering if that will have some clues about how they got along. Rose was such a different personality than Laura, I’m not surprised that they would have clashed.
How delightful! I’m not a big poetry fan myself…but I could read this!
I don’t remember poetry mentioned in Little House Traveler, but I could be wrong…
I’m currently reading a manuscript of Pioneer Girl…what became the series by LIW. It is not what I thought it would be. Definitely not for the child, though it is more of a diary of memories than actual story. Interesting though!
Hi Amy, I love the notion of recalcitrant flowers, and like you my daughter also enjoyed her Little House in the Prairie moments when she was younger. Will try to find this book, it sounds cute and the poems whimsical. 🙂
I have loved all the Little House books & love that you have shared this poetry with us. I didn’t know about it so will look for it for sure. I suspect that my little granddaughters will enjoy it immensely in a few years. thank for all!
My list is getting so long after such a full Poetry Friday. Lots of good books out there to check out and this is definitely one I am very excited to find! Thank you so much for sharing this today.
What?! How did I not know this? I thought I was a Laura Ingalls Wilder fan, but…I’ve never even heard of this book. So glad you shared your thoughts on her poetry:) We’re definitely going to check it out!
I enjoyed your blog… I have had this book on my shelf for several years (and only just thought to go to it this afternoon after not having looked at it for years!) I have been thinking of setting these poems to music and perhaps even turning it into a mini children’s musical play of sorts. Probably need to get some sort of permission before doing that though.