Dream-March

'Wasn't it a funny dream!--perfectly bewild'rin'!-- Last night, and night before, and night before that, Seemed like I saw the march o' regiments o' children, Marching to the robin's fife and cricket's rat-ta-tat! Lily-banners overhead, with the dew upon 'em, On flashed the little army, as with sword and flame; Like the buzz o' bumble-wings, with the honey on 'em, Came an eerie, cheery chant, chiming as it came:-- _Where go the children? Travelling! Travelling_! _Where go the children, travelling ahead_? _Some go to kindergarten; some go to day-school_; _Some go to night-school; and some go to bed_! Smooth roads or rough roads, warm or winter weather, On go the children, tow-head and brown, Brave boys and brave girls, rank and file together, Marching out of Morning-Land, over dale and down: Some go a-gypsying out in country places-- Out through the orchards, with blossoms on the boughs Wild, sweet, and pink and white as their own glad faces; And some go, at evening, calling home the cows. _Where go the children? Travelling! Travelling_! _Where go the children, travelling ahead_? _Some go to foreign wars, and camps by the firelight_-- _Some go to glory so; and some go to bed_! Some go through grassy lanes leading to the city-- Thinner grow the green trees and thicker grows the dust; Ever, though, to little people any path is pretty So it leads to newer lands, as they know it must. Some go to singing less; some go to list'ning; Some go to thinking over ever-nobler themes; Some go anhungered, but ever bravely whistling, Turning never home again only in their dreams. _Where go the children? Travelling! Travelling_! _Where go the children, travelling ahead_? _Some go to conquer things; some go to try them_; _Some go to dream them; and some go to bed_!