Our Baby by Eugene Field (1897)
The poem is a nostalgic and sentimental tribute to the joys of childhood. It describes a child's innocence, curiosity, and playfulness, emphasizing the importance of preserving these qualities in adulthood. The speaker reflects on their own childhood, remembering the simple pleasures and freedom from care that characterized that stage of life.
By Eugene Field · First published 1897 · Genre: Poetry, Humor, Sports · 222 words
First lines
'Tis very strange, but quite as true, / That when our Baby smiles / Our club gets walloped black and blue / In all the latest styles; / But when our Baby's hopping mad / It's quite the other way -- / Chicago beats the Yankees bad / When Baby doesn't play.
When baby stands upon his base, / Just after having kicked, / Upon his Scandinavian face / Appears the legend, "Licked"; / But when he orders out a sub, / We well may hip-hooray -- / Chicago has the winning club / When Baby doesn't play.
But, if our Baby's getting old, / And stiff, and cross, and vain, / And if his days are nearly told, / Oh, let us not complain.
What this Textopian page supports
Our Baby is listed on Textopian as a poem by Eugene Field, dated 1897 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: 1897 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Humor, Sports, Children's Literature, Satire
- Length: 222 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Our Baby 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
Similar titles
- Birthday Talk For A Child Iris by Edith Nesbit
- The Hawthorne Children by Eugene Field
- Child And Mother by Eugene Field
- Little Girls by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- To A Child Rosamund by Edith Nesbit
- A Home Song Songs Of Hearth And Altar by Henry Van Dyke
Genres
- Poetry — The work is written in verse, employing rhyme and meter typical of poetry.
- Humor — The poem uses playful language and a light-hearted tone to convey its themes.
- Sports — The content revolves around baseball, referencing teams and the impact of a 'Baby' on the game's outcome.
- Children's Literature — The title and themes suggest a focus on childhood and innocence, appealing to a younger audience.
Tags
Poetry · Children · Family · Love · Nostalgia · Sentimental · Victorian Era · American Literature · Heartwarming · Innocence · Youth · Parenting