The Pillow Poem

A bag of rags can cradle a sleepy head
if pauper. Or if prince, a velvet bolster
stretches— all the way across the bed.
It matters little to a yawning youngster.

Some stuff a pillow full of fluffy feathers.
Some lace it up with silky ribbons, too.
And some sew names on it like Henry’s or Heather’s.
Some like a pile of cushions, too. Do you?

A pillow’s where a fellow rests his head
when he is tired of thinking all day long.
You put it at the headboard of the bed.
To put it at the foot would be all wrong.

But a pillow can be other things at night—
a boat, a plane, or anything it seems.
When Mom or Dad turns off the bedroom light,
a Pillow Egg can hatch some Pillow Dreams.

It’s plain to see, a Pillow Sponge is one
that soaks up sobs and wipes your tears away.
What better shoulder to cry on and stay dry on
when you have had a perfectly horrid day.

A Pillow Pal is the best of friends, indeed.
He’ll never snap at you or stomp and yell.
He’ll listen to your troubles, if you need.
If you let him know your secrets, he won’t tell.

Or if you want a Pillow Pet, a lamb
will do— a little ewe for little you.
A Pillow Swan will always say, “Yes, Ma’am.”
It’s very well behaved— and pretty, too.

Now what does a fellow need when he goes to bed
to get him through a long night, sleeping sound
but a Marshmallow Pillow? You’ll always be well fed
if you keep a puffy, king-sized one around.

And a giant scoop of vanilla ice cream
is a really sweet treat of a pillow, too.
But if you don’t eat every bite in a dream,
it melts to just a pillowcase. It’s true!

A pair or more of pillows are a shore
where waves roll in, like wrinkles in a spread.
When the Sandman comes to make you snooze and snore,
he’ll fluff the softest sand dune for your head.

This pillow comes complete with a deep-blue sky
and a sheet of shiny shells. The gulls are fed
on fish of gingerbread, and pirates ply
the ocean in their candy ships, it’s said.

A pillow makes a splendid punching bag
if punching pillows is what you’re about.
Pretend that he’s a bragging scalawag
and mash and bash and smash his stuffing out.

An Iceberg Pillow, too, can be some fun—
with polar bears and Inuit to meet.
But an Arctic explorer, when exploring is done,
believes a Pillow Igloo can’t be beat!

Yes, it’s plain to see, a pillow now can be
a fleecy lamb, a bag of gleaming dreams,
a friend as plump as Tweedledum or Dee,
a cuddly cloud, or anything it seems.

But it’s a hello sleepy fellowy,
windy seashore billowy bellowy,
Jello red and sunshine yellowy,
soft as a willow tree, mellow old pillow for me!