Night Night

The children one bedtime
had asked me to say
why writing these rhymes
gave such pleasure each day

I said look around you
for all you can see
have words as their label
like ‘Mummy’ or ‘me’

Your toys and your bedclothes
your lamp and your shelves
the books in your cupboards
on Wizards and Elves

The stars on your ceiling
the socks in your draw
and as you grow older you’ll hear plenty more

Words and their meanings
some good and some bad
but listen dear children
to your rhyming Dad

I’ll tell you these stories and sing you these songs
I’ll teach you those meanings
and before too long
you’ll hold in your heart
these great many things
this marriage of words
that give your books wings
that take you to places at night before sleep
where people and creatures and new worlds you’ll meet

So let us enjoy precious moments like these
where all words are gathered
and help you believe
help you discover
create and explore
why rhymes nurture children this day and before

In years to come
you'll think of these nights
when flicking through pages
of books that you like
remember old Dad and his night story times
and how he loved reading you children those rhymes