Pebbles and Shells (Hawkes collection)/How Tommy Walked on the Water

by Clarence Hawkes

HOW TOMMY WALKED ON THE WATER

Last Friday afternoon when school was done
And Tommy 'n' me were looking out for fun,
A new idea came into Tommy's head
While we were sitting by Ma's posy bed.

"I'm goin' to do a miracle for you,"
He said, "If you won't tell, honest and true,"
And then he went into the wagon shed
And got two bladders bigger than my head.

And then we went down to the old red mill,
Where there's a pond, with water in it still,
And Tommy got upon a log of wood
And crawled out on it careful as he could.

And then he fished his pockets for some strings,
And on his big toes tied them bladder things,
Then said he'd show me how that Peter done,
And do a miracle and have some fun.

He stepped right off just like the pond was ground,
With both his feet a-bobbin' all around,
Without a thought of his new pair of clothes
And went head first right down upon his nose.

His head went down like it was made of lead
And both his feet came up in sight instead;
'Twas like a fly a-walkin' on the ceilin',
I saw him kick but couldn't hear him squealin'.

And all the time he tried to reach his toes
And break them strings, a-standin' on his nose;
But I got scat when he had kicked a spell,
And hollered fire as tight as I could yell.

Then Pa came runnin' out without his hat
And 1n his stocking feet, a-lookin' scat;
We got poor Tommy out and home in bed,
A-lookin' pale and white, and almost dead.

And Ma she cried and kissed him lots and said,
"It was a mercy that he wasn't dead;"
And Pa he said that he would tend to me
And give me something pleasant after tea.