Tuesday, January 12, 2010

"The Fairy House" poem By Rose Fyleman

I've been using up more of my pre made yellow themed bg papers and was completing the collage when I realized some of the ink had come thru and made the vintage lady look like her arm was dirty. I got thinking about what I could print and glue there to cover the boo boo area...she was wearing a yellow dress with blue floral highlights here and there and I had painted some shimmery blue wings on her back....a gorgeous summer fairy glistening in the sunshine.
Straight away it reminded me of my sweet Mum. As I've mentioned previously we didn't have much in the way of materialistic things when I grew up as we were fairly poor and I filled my past times as a child often creating things like peg dolls, carved coconuts, loads of drawing and colouring and make believe games. These I always attribute to my Mum as she was often the instigator and enabler supplying me with paper, material and poems. One such poem has stayed with me and I can still see myself snuggled in bed listening to her voice telling the poem every night to me and my other sisters (we all shared the room and my four brothers were in two smaller rooms) before we went to bed.
The poem was about a fairy and it always made me drift off to sleep thinking of fairy themed dreams. Part of our childhood can come to us as adults and are priceless reminders of a carefree PAST. As I looked at my collage the poem came to my head. I have no idea who wrote it first but I love it even to this day and I have now typed it up in part for my collage....I'll use the part about the bonnet and wings...here is the poem

AS I WAS WALKING HOMEWARD
ONE EARLY SUMMER’S DAY
I MET A LITTLE FAIRY
TRIPPING ON HER WAY

HER BONNET WAS A BLUEBELL
A DAISY WAS HER GOWN
HER WINGS WERE BITS OF SUNSHINE
TRIMMED WITH THISTLE-DOWN

I THINK SHE HAD BEEN TO MARKET
FOR AS SHE HURRIED BY
I PEEPED INTO HER BASKET
TO SEE WHAT I COULD SPY

A PAIR OF TINY SLIPPERS
A REEL OF GOLDEN THREAD
A TINY JAR OF HONEY
AND A WEENY LOAF OF BREAD

I HID AMONGST THE TALL GRASS
AS STILL AS STILL COULD BE
THE FAIRY GAVE A RATT TATT TATT
UPON A HOLLOW TREE
AND THEN FOR JUST AN INSTANT

I PEEPED INTO HER HOUSE
AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT?
THE FRONT DOOR WAS OPENED
BY A MOUSE!

Antonia Leathem 
UPDATE....thanks so much to Antonia Leathem who contacted me finally in November 2017!!! The poem is actually called The Fairy House and was written By Rose Fyleaman. Antonia is also from Australia and says " an elderly friend told me this poem and I researched it, I came across it in a serious of what was called, Suggested Poems for Irish Board of Speech and Drama. Grade Examinations Grade Four (Age 9-11) Girls". The link to the publication is here https://www.irishboard.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IBSD-Grade-Poem-Suggestions-2017.pdf It's on page 42. My wording is slightly different to the original but it's how I remember my Mum reciting it so I will leave it as is

THANKS so much Antonia xx
hugs
Annette In Oz

20 comments:

Nicks said...

what lovely memories, thank you for sharing. I'm looking forward to seeing the collage

Rockin Robin Caldwell said...

OK my Aussie friend...I am dying to know how you fixed her "dirty arm". With your talent and creativity...I'm confident that you figured out a "wicked kewl" fix for that. Loved the poem. Can't wait to see the fairy lady!!! Hisses, Rockin Robin C

Gaby Bee said...

What a lovely poem. Thanks for sharing with us. Can't wait to see your collage, Annette!
Gaby xo

Janie said...

I love that little poem. My mother used to say it as a kid.
Did you manage to find out who the author was.
cheers
Jane

Rita said...

Sister and I have been looking for this full version for ages
Used to love this as a child but could not remember all the words
A very big thank you

Antonia Leathem said...

Hi Annette,
My name is Antonia also from OZ, an elderly friend told me this poem and I researched it, I came across it in a serious of what was called,
Suggested Poems for
Irish Board of
Speech and Drama
Grade Examinations
Grade Four (Age 9-11)
Girls

The Fairy House
By Rose Fyleaman

I hope that this helps you and your followers.

Antonia

ANNETTE HUSBAND said...

Thank you so much Antonia. Its awesome to finally know the real name of the poem and who wrote it!!! I shall tell my 85 yr old Mum when I next call her xxx

Antonia Leathem said...

It was my pleasure Annette. Love and God Bless to you and your Mum.

Unknown said...

Thank you My mother has dementia and can not remember very much now. She use to tell me this poem when I was small. When I read it out to her today, she gave me a beautiful smile. It was a good moment for the pair of us. Lynn

ANNETTE HUSBAND said...

Aw that made me teary Lynn but glad it got thru to your Mum xxxxx

magicshaz said...

My mum passed away last year age 84, she used to recite this to me right from way back in my childhood. Two years ago I wrote it down as she recited it as I didn't want it lost forever...I love now, as then, the imagery it conjured up. A real .um and daughter poem.

Unknown said...

My nan used to site this poem to me at bedtime. I have my own grand daughter now and was trying to remember the words last night. Only manages the first verse so thought I would Google it and see if appeared. I'm over joyed. It's brought precious memories of my nan back from my childhood x

Unknown said...

Hello,
I would absolutely love to purchase a copy of Rose Fyleaman poem book for my mum that includes this poem..
Many wonderful memories... She would just love it!! So would I ����
Can anyone give me details where to purchase please... Thankyou in anticipation... Pamela Ballin (Australia)

ANNETTE HUSBAND said...

OMG how amazing there are so many of us whom remember this poem and how much it meant to us all. Pamela I'm not sure which book it appears in as the only reference I have been told about is that it was in a publication called Suggested Poems for Irish Board of Speech and Drama Grade Examinations. On page 42 in the section for Grade Four (Age 9 – 11)Girls . Here is the link to that publication...you could download and print it.
https://www.irishboard.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/IBSD-Grade-Poem-Suggestions-2017.pdf

kathleenalice said...

My grandma used to recite this to me when I was a very little girl...I thought I had imagined the whole thing as I have never been able to find it. My daughter sent me a link to you. Such happy memories!

TimHope said...

From: TimHope
My Mum, an infants' school teacher in London told this to me as a child. When I visited her in hospital at the end of her life, aged 89, I got her to recite it to me again. I never thought to find it, and I'm so glad that others love it too. Such a treasure, thank you.

Unknown said...

I remember learning this poem, aged 5, at infant school, in Cheshire, UK. I've written it written it out many times, for family members. I found it on the internet with slightly different words to my version. It's magic!

Unknown said...

I remember learning this poem, aged 5, at infant school, in Cheshire, UK. I've written it out many times, for family members. I found it on the internet with slightly different words to my version. It's magic!

Unknown said...

So, so beautiful❤

Antonia Leathem said...

Hi Annette,
It is so wonderful that people over the years have been seeing your post and remembering this pretty poem, especially with what has been happening over these trying years.
Take care stay safe Lot's of Love,
Antonia.💜

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