Balow, my Bonnie by Eugene Field
A mother soothes her crying child, rocking him and promising that his father will return when his work is done. She tells him that if he sleeps, fairies may come to dance, as she has seen the moonlight and the “mirkland queene” dance upon his sleeping eyes. A bumblebee and a little heather bell seem to sing the same lullaby. The mother asks for the child’s hand and promises to lead him gently to the land of sleep.
By Eugene Field · First published 1894 · Genre: Lullaby, Children's Poetry, Nursery Rhyme · 239 words
First lines
Hush, bonnie, dinna greit; / Moder will rocke her sweete, -- / Balow, my boy! / When that his toile ben done, / Daddie will come anone, -- / Hush thee, my lyttel one; / Balow, my boy!
Gin thou dost sleepe, perchaunce / Fayries will come to daunce, -- / Balow, my boy! / Oft hath thy moder seene / Moonlight and mirkland queene / Daunce on thy slumbering een, -- / Balow, my boy!
Then droned a bomblebee / Saftly this songe to thee: / "Balow, my boy! " / And a wee heather bell, / Pluckt from a fayry dell, / Chimed thee this rune hersell: / "Balow, my boy!"
Similar titles
- Heigho My Dearie English by Eugene Field
- The Rock A By Lady English by Eugene Field
- Child Or Fairy by Abbie Farwell Brown
- So So Rock A By So English by Eugene Field
- A Bed Time Song by Ruth Collie
- Slumber Song by Marie Van Vorst
Genres
- Lullaby — The poem is structured as a soothing sleep song, repeatedly urging a child to be quiet, rest, and be rocked to sleep through the refrain "Balow, my boy."
- Children's Poetry — Its simple musical language, affectionate parental voice, gentle imagery, and direct address to a young child place it firmly within poetry for children.
- Nursery Rhyme — The short stanzas, repeated refrain, archaic Scots-inflected diction, and oral-song quality resemble traditional nursery rhymes.
- Lyric Poetry — Rather than narrating an extended plot, the work expresses a tender emotional moment through rhythmic verse, repetition, sound, and imagery.
Tags
lullaby · nursery poem · children's poetry · mother and child · maternal comfort · crying child · rocking a baby · sleep · bedtime · father's return · working father · fairies
What this Textopian page supports
Balow, my Bonnie is listed on Textopian as a poem by Eugene Field, dated 1894 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Eugene Field
- Date: 1894 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Lullaby, Children's Poetry, Nursery Rhyme, Lyric Poetry, Fantasy Poetry
- Length: 239 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Balow, my Bonnie by Eugene Field
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph