Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A GOOD PLAY by ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON

Poet Analysis

First Line: WE BUILT A SHIP UPON THE STAIRS
Last Line: SO THERE WAS NO ONE LEFT BUT ME.
Subject(s): CHILDREN; PLAY; CHILDHOOD;
WE built a ship upon the stairs
All made of the back-bedroom chairs,
And filled it full of sofa pillows
To go a-sailing on the billows.
We took a saw and several nails,
And water in the nursery pails;
And Tom said, "Let us also take
An apple and a slice of cake;" --
Which was enough for Tom and me
To go a-sailing on, till tea.
We sailed along for days and days,
And had the very best of plays;
But Tom fell out and hurt his knee,
So there was no one left but me.


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