Babies Don’t Keep

 

Mother, oh mother, come

shake out your cloth!

Empty the dustpan,

poison the moth.

 

Hang out the washing

and butter the bread.

Sew on a button,

and make up the bed.

 

Where is the mother

whose house is so shocking?

She’s up in the nursery

blissfully rocking!

 

Oh! I’ve grown as shiftless

as little boy blue,

(Lullaby, Rockaby, Lullaby too.)

 

Dishes are waiting

and bills are past due.

(Pat-a-cake darling and peek peek a boo)

 

The shopping’s not done

and there’s nothing for stew,

And out in the yard

there’s a hullabaloo.

 

But I’m playing Kanga

and he is my roo.

Look! Aren’t his eyes

the most wonderful blue?

(Lullaby, Rockaby, Lullaby too)

 

Oh, cleaning and scrubbing

will wait till tomorrow

But children grow up,

I’ve learned to my sorrow.

 

So quiet down cob webs,

Dust, go to sleep.

I’m rocking my baby,

Babies don’t keep!