Living in the Land of Story-Books

There are two poems that I love that capture what I want for our children at home. One is "The Land of Story-Books" by Robert Louis Stevenson. Our home is truly the land of stories, not just for our little boy (as the poem is specifically about a boy), but for all of us. Seems to be a common thing among homeschooling families, but not so common elsewhere. To start this blog, I'm including the full text of the poem because I just think everyone should read it and be inspired to take little visits to their own "land of the story-books" no matter how old you are.

The Land of the Story-Books
by Robert Louis Stevenson

At evening when the lamp is lit,
Around the fire my parents sit;
They sit at home and talk and sing,
And do not play at anything.

Now, with my little gun, I crawl
All in the dark along the wall,
And follow round the forest track
Away behind the sofa back.

There, in the night, where none can spy,
All in my hunter's camp I lie,
And play at books that I have read
Till it is time to go to bed.

These are the hills, these are the woods,
These are my starry solitudes;
And there the river by whose brink
The roaring lions come to drink.

I see the others far away
As if in firelit camp they lay,
And I, like to an Indian scout,
Around their party prowled about.

So, when my nurse comes in for me,
Home I return across the sea,
And go to bed with backward looks
At my dear land of Story-Books.

More on my other favorite poem next time. Today, we'll be in the Brambly Hedge with Jill Barklem. Her Autumn Story is a perfect place for us today.

Until next time,
Suzanne