Love
Where have you been all the day
From The Nursery Rhymes of England, collected by J. O. Halliwell (London: Warne; first ed. 1842; this printing 1886)
"Where have you been all the day,
My boy Willy?"
"I've been all the day,
Courting of a lady gay:
But oh! she's too young
To be taken from her mammy."
"What work can she do,
My boy Willy?
Can she bake and can she brew,
My boy Willy?"
"She can brew and she can bake,
And she can make our wedding cake:
But oh! she's too young
To be taken from her mammy."
"What age may she be? What age may she be?
My boy Willy?"
"Twice two, twice seven,
Twice ten twice eleven:
But oh! she's too young
To be taken from her mammy."
Codex Note
Halliwell's class: Love and Matrimony.
Cite this poem
MLA
Anonymous (English nursery rhymes). “Where have you been all the day.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-english-nursery-rhymes/441/.
Chicago
Anonymous (English nursery rhymes). “Where have you been all the day.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-english-nursery-rhymes/441/.
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